The Bureau of Unexpected Tales
by BlackStar42Roses
Summary: When Reborn receives a letter from an old friend, the Grimm Office leaves London to take on a new case, a deadly enemy, and a series of dark secrets that could easily tear Reborn and Tsuna apart. Sequel to Welcome to the Grimm Office. R27
1. Chapter 1

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

Here it is; as promised: a sequel to _Welcome to the Grimm Office_! If you haven't read the first story, I guess some parts might be a little confusing, since I like to use references and there's one particular character who's got a little surprise in store~ :D But, the story's going to be much longer this time, with a lot of new characters.

So; I guess I'll be derp and dedicate this first chapter to all of the readers who stuck with me during the _Grimm Office_ series~ I love you guys :'3

To all the new readers, I hope you'll like this story! I promise to work hard, though my updates might start becoming irregular due to amount of work I'm getting from school D; Please don't mind! :')

Song of the day: Free (Twin Atlantic)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter One<p>

_The beginning is the most important part of work (Plato)_

The forests were dense in this part of the landscape; the trees tall and old, their trunks thick and their barks prickled. The undergrowth was mostly shrubbery and tall grass. The hills sloped downwards before raising again, their peaks rounded and gradual. However, everything was covered under a thick layer of snow and frost. The frozen, ice cold winter of Russia in mid-December was an unyielding giant whose large hands blanketed over every last acre of woodland it could reach. The story of the Winter Giant, of course, was obviously a lie. There were no giants in Russia.

The Frost Boggarts occupied the woodlands and brought about winter. Whose smart idea was it to tell fibs about giants in the area anyway? Giants liked warmer weather and would definitely prefer the Caribbean over Russian.

Somewhere deep in the thicket of trees in the forest, there lay a set of railroad tracks. These tracks were old and rather worn because there was hardly any maintenance ever done on them. It was located too far in the forest for the workers to want to make any regular visits for check-ups. The rusted steel tracks were covered in a slight layer of snow as the flakes continued to fall from the light grey sky in the mid-morning. It was, for the most part, a pleasant day. The area was quiet and tranquil. Not even the winter birds were chirping, and the dwarves that liked to march across the fields before noon were absent once again because of the thick layer of snow that probably buried their doors shut.

Of course, not all silences were meant to last.

There was a low rumble, and the tracks suddenly began to shake. The metal trembled in its frame hammered deep into the ground. The wooden boards along the bottom creaked and groaned from the strain. The rumbling grew louder, louder, louder, and suddenly, a bright flash of light burst from between the gaps of the trees and a giant, jet black train came chugging along the tracks. The plow in the front shoved the delicate layer of snow away harshly; smoke billowing out into the naked branches of the trees. It was an old train, a passenger one, a replica of a steam engine, but it ran on fuel. It snaked along the tracks weaving in and out of the trees in the forest, the complicated turns and twists making the machine squeal and screech. The sound tore through the silent forest like a foghorn, nearly announcing their presence to whatever was out amongst the shadows cast by the trees.

And there were something in the trees, alright.

Inside the train, it was comfortably furnished, but dark, a bit gloomy, and gave off the feeling of and old era that had been left behind in the inner parts of the passenger cars. There were compartments, which were small and cramped, but nicely decorated, even if the style was a bit out of date. Most of the sections in the train were deserted given the isolated route, but one of the compartments near the very back was currently occupied by two sleeping men.

Sitting in the corner, leaning against the window was a tall, handsome man in his mid-twenties with spikey black hair quashed under a dark fedora with a simple yellow band. His face was pointed and smooth with just the slightest of furrows in his eyebrows and a small frown on his face. Curled up right next to him was a brunette of around nineteen or twenty, snuggled up against the dark-haired man's chest, their breathing patterns evenly matched. The brunette had a set of astonishingly fluffy brown hair that stuck up in every direction possible and a rounder, more childish face with a bit of drool coming out of his mouth. Both men were dressed warmly; the elder in a black, double-breasted coat and long boots while the teen was wearing a dark red parka, mittens and a knitted scarf. Their baggage was simple: two bags thrown over the luggage rack overtop. One was labeled _Reborn _and the other _Tsunayoshi_.

The train rumbled on its way, giving off the occasional creak or wobble, but all of a sudden, there was a violent lurch that made the wheels scream against the tracks and some of the luggage fall off the racks. There was a loud shout, but then everything was steady once more. The two men slept on, apparently unaffected by the sudden events.

Unknown to either of them, several uninvited passengers had boarded the train.

Five shadowy, smoky figures were pulling themselves in from the shattered window of the passenger car located at the front of the train. They were over six feet tall, dressed in black rags that seemed to scatter away into ash and reform again over their skeletal bodies. Crimson eyes gleamed from under the hoods, sharp fangs protruded from lipless mouths, and where one of their boney hands should be, there was a large, curled hook. The demons slowly glided over the fallen luggage of the passengers in the compartment, sliding the door open with a wave of their hands before turning and sniffing the air. One of the demons hissed, and suddenly, all five of them were rushing down the narrow aisle, fighting to get to the end of the train to their target.

Behind them, on the floor of the compartment, a man, woman, and child lay unmoving, blood slowly seeping from thick gashes all over their bodies.

The demons crashed their way through the doors of nearly eight sections of the trains, startling passengers and causing bags to fall off racks and onto the floor. Any unfortunate person who happened to be passing through the hallway at the time met the same fate as the family in the compartment. The demons were clearly not going to let anything stand in their way. Their movements were oddly rushed. It was almost as though they had a deadline to find their goal.

The first demon suddenly halted, and the others froze in their tracks as well. Slowly turning its head, the first monster turned his glowing red eyes onto the doorway just an arm's reach away from the mob. Extending its scabby hand, the demon pushed the door open silently and swooped in, its raspy breath barely coming up in smoke in the cold weather.

Sleeping in the seats were Reborn and Tsuna, still snoring away without a care in the world.

The five demons swiftly crowded themselves into the compartment, radiating bloodthirstiness, their hooks raised eagerly. The first one to find the two stepped forward, its eyes locked onto the sleeping brunette. Tsuna's chest rose and fell steadily, and he snuggled a little closer to Reborn, nose wrinkling a little before he went limp again, mouth slightly agape. The monster moved closer, its hook inches away from the brunette's throat. A quick, sudden death was necessary here; the demon knew it could not afford to let the teen wake. In one swift movement, it drew back, the sharp point gleaming, and in a flash, the hook came down upon the unguarded neck of a sleeping teen.

Something moved, and there was a loud _clang_ of metal on metal as a hand suddenly shot out, fingers closing tightly around the base of the hook, its point just inches away from the smooth skin. The demon jerked, shocked, but the fingers tightened with inhuman strength, trapping the monster where it was. Holding the hook in its deathgrip was a pair of industrial gloves, the fingers plated with silver metal and a black mesh covering the hand. The wrist was protected by a guard made of the same metal, in which was carved a series of intricate designs. The brunette's eyes slowly opened, and the demon flinched when it saw the burning orange irises. The deadly orbs turned themselves onto the monster, and for a moment, nobody moved. Then, Tsuna leapt up, planting his feet upon the seats so that he towered over the demon, never letting go of the hook. His other hand came up, palms flat open and fingers splayed, giving the demon an excellent reason to scream before Tsuna snapped its head clean off the slouching shoulders.

The demon collapsed into a pile of ashes that blew away through its fellows and into the hall. The remaining four immediately stiffened, in shock at what they had seen. Tsuna exhaled slowly, golden orbs scanning each of his enemies.

"What," he said with eerie calmness, "are you all doing?"

Momentarily stunned, the monsters stared at the remains of their ally and then at the teen standing on the seat. They had not expected to be bested; nobody in these forests had managed to kill one of their own for nearly five centuries. It both frightened and enraged them. Lunging all together, the four demons went for Tsuna, their hooks raised, but the brunette was faster. His hands shot up and grabbed the underside of the luggage rack and Tsuna hoisted himself up, kicking one of the demons in the face as it neared. The monster howled, flinging itself back as its fangs were knocked out, starting to crumble into ash as well. The brunette swung out and jumped over the demon he'd kicked. He landed in the midst of the three demons and went for the one in the middle at once. The hook was ripped off the stump of the arm, two punches were delivered to the bony chest, and with an expert twist, Tsuna snapped the monster's neck in one move, and it slumped, dissolving into powder, just like the other two fiends. The remaining two shuddered and went for the brunette, but before their hooks and hands could reach—

_Bang. Bang._

Tsuna turned to see the demons fall, jerking into themselves as a cloud of dusty ash filled the compartment. Coughing a little, the brunette waved his hand in front of his face and said softly, "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Damn right you did," a low voice growled from the seat, and Reborn emerged, his gun in his hand and an irritated look on his face. "I've been asleep for less than an hour for the first time in two days and I still manage to get kicked awake."

Tsuna clicked his tongue sheepishly. "Sorry," he apologized again, but looked up in surprise when Reborn suddenly closed in on him, one hand reaching up to hold onto the luggage rack as he casually leaned down and kissed Tsuna on the lips, sweeping his tongue over the teen's smoothly before drawing back, yawning.

"I'm not mad at you, idiot. One of these trash stepped on my foot; that's why I woke up. Not that you were really having trouble with them anyway."

Tsuna shrugged, flexing his fingers. "They're not that strong. My experience in demon hunting extends beyond their level of fighting skills."

Reborn opened his mouth to answer, but suddenly, below them, there came a high-pitched, wailing cry as one of the demons opened its fanged mouth wide, screaming something into the air. However, it was cut short abruptly when Reborn shot it through the head, but the damage was done. An unnatural chill settled in the compartment, but it had nothing to do with the cold weather. It was a foreboding feeling that sunk deep into the two hunter's guts. Reborn's eyes narrowed as he glanced through the window. Somewhere, in the distance, he could spot a black speck stirring. It couldn't be a cloud; it was moving too fast against the wind.

"What just happened?" Tsuna asked sharply, looking out the window too. Reborn pulled him back and grabbed his shoulder bag before tossing Tsuna's rucksack to him.

"It called for backup. We have to get off the train."

Tsuna blinked, then nodded, sliding his arms securely into the straps before following Reborn out of the compartment, their footsteps scattering the ashes of their foes as they went.

All over the train, the few passengers on were in a panic, screaming at the sight of the bodies lying in the hall, brutally slashed apart by the demon's hooks. The two demon hunters plowed relentlessly through, pushing past people and stepping over the corpses. Tsuna passed one of the compartments near the front, and his stomach turned over at the sight of the family of three dead on the floor and the shattered window that allowed a frozen draft the seep into the train.

"Tsuna!" Reborn called, and the brunette focused his attention back onto his boyfriend. The dark-haired man was working at the lock for the door leading into the front of the train, probably trying to pick it open without destroying the whole door. Tsuna hurried over, but at that moment, there was a violent explosion from far away that rocked the whole train, and screams came from everywhere as the fright settled in the passengers.

Reborn groaned. "Today is not my day," he snarled irritably, abandoning the picks. Tsuna patted the dark-haired man soothingly on the arm.

"I'll get this one," the brunette said lightly before winding his arm back and slamming his fist into the door. The force of the impact sent the piece of metal screeching back, popping clean off its hinges. Ice cold wind swept over both of them and snow whipped their faces mercilessly. The junction between the front of the train and the compartments were joined by a thick set of iron bars, which swayed with the force of another explosion. Reborn held the sides of the ruined doorframe, peering out into the forest.

"We're going to jump!" he called over the wind.

"Jump?" Tsuna shouted back, alarmed.

"Unless you can think of a better idea, that's our only choice!" Reborn snapped. Up ahead, he could see an empty clearing. It would be a terrible idea to enter open space; it was practically an invitation for an ambush. Leaping amongst the trees would be near suicide, but it was their best bet.

"Reborn!" Tsuna yelped as another explosion, much closer this time, sounded from the middle compartments. The hunter cursed loudly, making up his mind in a split second.

"Keep your head tucked in and your mouth closed!" he instructed the brunette firmly, and without waiting for the teen's answer, grabbed Tsuna's arm and hauled him out of the train. Tsuna reflexively shouted in surprise, which pretty much rendered Reborn's advice of keeping his mouth shut useless. But, that was kind of his fault, since the elder was the one who shoved Tsuna out. Glancing back, the hunter could see the black mass coming ever closer. Taking a breath, Reborn threw himself out as well.

The impact upon the snowy ground was bone-jarring, and it knocked the wind out of the hunter for a few moments as stars filled his vision. Reborn rolled and rolled until he managed to stick his leg out before he smashed into a tree. His ankle screamed in protest, but apart from a dislocated shoulder and probably a fractured finger, there was not lasting damage. Reborn staggered to his feet, running to where he'd pushed Tsuna off. The train whizzed past him; and he saw that the last few compartments were horribly damaged. At one point, he could see the fleeting image of blood splattered against the window before the train vanished beyond the trees, leaving them stranded in the dense forest.

"This is why I hate public transportation," Reborn growled under his breath, reaching out to pop his right shoulder back into place before limping through the snow, looking for his boyfriend.

Tsuna was crouched on all fours and trying to get up when Reborn found him, blood all over the place. It blended in with the teen's parka, but stained the snow with crimson puddles. "What happened?" Reborn asked quickly, grabbing the teen's arm. Tsuna shook him off, looking up with his orange eyes, and Reborn could see blood all over the brunette's chin. Guessing what had happened, the dark-haired man used his own sleeve to wipe the red off the best he could before saying in a surprisingly gentle manner, "Open your mouth, Tsuna."

Reluctantly, the teen complied, and more blood spilled out. Reborn took a quick peek in and his suspicions were confirmed; Tsuna had accidentally bitten his tongue. The muscle wasn't severed, but it was split badly enough to need stitches. Unfortunately, that would have to wait. It wouldn't be long before the demons realized that their targets were no longer on the train, and finding them in the forest would not be a good thing.

"Hang on for a minute, Tsuna, and I promise I'll fix that for you once we get out of here," Reborn said, and the teen winced, but nodded, weakly spitting the blood out before closing his mouth. Reborn grabbed his arm and the two stumbled to their feet, legs buried knee-deep in the snow as the vanished into the forest.

It was probably a stupid idea to run into the trees seeing as the possibility of getting lost was more than highly probable, but Reborn was never completely unprepared. Their new mission called for more drastic measures and for the hunters to step up their game, and losing their way was not on Reborn's agenda. Since public transportation was hated right now, they had to move onto the next method of travel. Specifically, through portals.

Portals were strange things. There were tons of them lying everywhere, almost invisible to those who don't know how to look for them, yet they weren't the amazing, gets-you-everywhere openings people often read about in myths or stories. Crossing between time and space was a tricky thing, and covering too much distance at once could result in very nasty endings. Portals were more like shortcuts, but if one could find a series of portals to pass through gradually, the distance between them and their destination would be drastically shortened. It was an accumulating sort of thing.

Right now, Reborn and Tsuna really needed a portal.

The brunette was spilling a lot of blood all over the place, and their tracks were leaving trails behind them. Even through supernatural beings could not travel through the portals, it was still wise to erase any evidence that could indicate where one was headed to.

Reborn's instinct was on overdrive as he tried to seek out a portal through his senses, but to his surprise, Tsuna pulled on his arm, pulling him in one direction. Bemused, Reborn followed, and the two of them slipped, stumbled, and plowed through the snow and thickets of buried undergrowth until they reached what they were looking for several minutes later.

The portal was a circle no bigger than a car's wheel; it was white in colour and hazy around the edges. It glowed a little, pulsing slightly, and it swirled slowly, like a grandmother stirring a bowl of thick porridge. However, beyond its lazy appearance, an infinite amount of energy seemed to crackle around this mysterious method of travel.

"Good job, kid," Reborn huffed, grasping Tsuna's hand, deciding that the teen's inner demon probably heightened his senses. "Come on."

Extending his other hand, Reborn's fingertips passed through the haze of white, and there was a cackling noise, like static electricity. Tugging Tsuna forward, Reborn pushed the rest of his arm in, and the portal suddenly expanded before swallowing the two men, leading them to their next location. Then, it shrunk back into the size of a wheel, innocently sparkling and swirling.

For Reborn and Tsuna, they found themselves blinking white sparks out of their eyes and staring at the entrance of a remote Russian village. The people there moved quietly in and about their activities, dressed much more warmly then they did and seemed to hardly notice the sudden appearance of two new visitors. Reborn scanned the area and casually rested one hand against the knife hidden against his back, under his coat, and nudged Tsuna. The brunette looked up in confusion, but a moment later, he understood his boyfriend's silent message and closed his eyes. The gloves around Reborn's cold hands suddenly grew softer and softer until the elder was holding a hand wearing mittens and staring into warm, chocolate brown eyes.

"Alright, let's go," he said quietly, pulling Tsuna forward. The two entered the village quietly, moving about with the people going about their daily business in town. Shops were open along the streets, some of them selling animal hides attained from trapping in the woods, others with piles of firewood and others had a roaring fire going. People flocked close to those, warming their hands up before carrying on. As he walked past a woman peering into a basket by one of the street vendors, Reborn casually pulled a hankerchief out of her bag and passed it to Tsuna, who gratefully took the cloth and wiped his mouth and chin clear of blood.

There was a tall wooden lodge with a magnificent sloping roof at the end of the street they were on. It was about three stories high, had many windows overlooking the village and forest surrounding them. A large, handsomely carved sign over the double doors read: гостиница.

Tsuna looked confused, but Reborn pulled the brunette towards the building, apparently understanding what the sign said with a small smile of reassurance on his face. The inside of the Inn was dimly lit, but there was a roaring fire in the hearth, many soft rugs placed around the room, and a warm, smoky haze hanging over the air. The foyer was wide and spacious, and it looked up to the other three floors, each guarded by carved railings and banisters. A light-haired woman was standing behind the desk, going through some papers. She looked up when Reborn and Tsuna entered, a smile on her face. The real challenge presented itself to the two, however, when she obviously began speaking in Russian.

Tsuna didn't understand a word and even if he did, talking was not at the top of his priority list. Reborn, fortunately, knew enough languages to barely scrape by. After several broken sentences of requesting a room for one night, paying, and being given their key, the two hunters found themselves up on the second floor in a comfortably sized bedroom. There was a balcony that showed off the view of the forest surround them, long curtains, a twin bed covered with a thick blanket, a small sofa and a bathroom tucked away in the back. Exhausted, Reborn dropped his bags off and stripped off his coat, wincing at the pain in his finger. Tsuna had sat himself down on the bed, looking sick as he peeled off his rucksack and coat. The dark-haired man immediately moved into the bathroom with his bag, emptying all the medical supplies in it on the counter. He grabbed a towel and ran it under hot water before handing it to Tsuna. Gratefully, the teen accepted, and Reborn went back to grab the things he needed.

A moment later, the two men were sitting on the bed. A jar of numbing salve was open on the sheets, there were bloodstained towels everywhere, and Tsuna was sitting with his mouth wide open, split tongue sticking out as Reborn carefully ran the needle through the muscle, sewing it back together. It was quiet, mainly because Tsuna couldn't talk and Reborn didn't like talking when concentrating, but the atmosphere had grown comfortable without the demons invading. Of course, the two hunters would probably sleep with one eye open each tonight, but for now, it was a time to relax.

"There," Reborn muttered, cutting the thread and tossing the needle into the trash bin. "Keep your tongue out."

Tsuna complied, watching as Reborn picked up a small plastic bag and pulled out a sliver leaf. Deftly crushing it between slim fingers, he placed the mushed up sprig onto the cut on Tsuna's tongue. The brunette made a face; it was awfully bitter. Reborn actually chuckled, standing up to wash his hands. "Don't make that face at me, Tsuna, spit it out now and check your tongue."

Carefully, the teen turned his head and spat out the remains of the leaf before walking into the bathroom and joining the dark-haired man in front of the mirror. To Tsuna's astonishment, the cut was almost completely healed in the mere couple of seconds. There was only a small indent on the pink muscle that indicated there had ever been an injury there.

"Whaa…?" Tsuna said, unable to form coherent words because of the effects of the numbing salve.

"It's a magical property of that leaf," Reborn said simply, hand on the teen's chin as the turned Tsuna's face to him. He picked up the pair of scissors, disinfected with the bottle of vodka placed in the corner of the room as a complimentary accessory, and carefully cut the treads loose. "It can heal relatively minor injuries in a short amount of time, like cuts or bruises."

"Ahhhn…" Tsuna replied, feeling stupid. Reborn smirked, leaning down to press a kiss to the tip of the newly healed tongue, which make the brunette blush and smack his boyfriend in the chest.

"What kind of thanks was that?" Reborn complained, crossing his arms, but Tsuna only grinned at him, reaching out to pry the knotted limbs apart so that he could snuggle in against the taller man, his gravity-defying brown hair ticking Reborn's nose. Rolling his eyes affectionately, the hunter leaned down whispered, "Wrap your legs around me, idiot," to the teen before lifting Tsuna and carrying the younger out of the bathroom and back to the bed. He lowered Tsuna onto the sheets and flicked the brunette's forehead. Tsuna pouted and burrowed himself into the blanket, watching the other expectantly. Reborn signed and pulled his tie loosed before kicking off his shoes and climbing into the bed as well.

"Happy now?" Reborn asked, and Tsuna only grinned, rolling over so he could kiss Reborn on the cheek. The hunter huffed and said lightly, "I told you to keep your mouth closed."

A punch to his gut made the dark-haired man double over a little. Tsuna glowered at him, stuttering out, "You puthed me ofth!"

Reborn smirked before opening his arms, which Tsuna gladly rolling into. Warmth enveloped the brunette before Reborn muttered quietly into his hair, "I know, stupid. Sorry, okay?"

Tsuna snickered quietly, and Reborn grumbled without any conviction in his anger and moved his hand over to turn the lamp on their nightstand off. The only amount of light left came from the gap between the heavy curtains and the gap between the bathroom door, but Reborn was too lazy to go and shut off the light in there now. Not when he had an armful of Tsuna to hold. It was well into the evening now, and neither of them had eaten dinner, but at the moment, the urgency of sleep and the rare moment of peace was too good to pass up.

Reborn tightened his hold around the brunette, and Tsuna couldn't hold back a sleepy smile. It was moments like these that were worth fighting for.

Minutes later, they were asleep once more.

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><p><strong>Google Translates:<strong>

Гостиница: Inn

I'm terribly sorry if I get anything wrong…

I had a really stupid moment where I thought Berlin was the capital of Russia. A really, really, _really_ stupid moment :') I blame the sudden change in weather for my awkwardness. I never mentioned in the story, but Reborn and Tsuna were supposedly traveling towards Moscow. So yeah…hee hee.

But; here's Chapter One! For those who haven't read _Welcome to the Grimm Office_, Reborn and Tsuna are headed to China at the moment in relation to a letter sent to Reborn from a childhood friend, Fon. Do you guys like it? :'D I've been working on the plot for some time, and I really hope this story will be just as good.

Thank you for reading! I promise that Chapter Two will come up soon.

-BlackStar


	2. Chapter 2

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

I know so many people born in April I think I'm going to go broke buying birthday gifts. But it's my mama's birthday in April as well…I promised to make her breakfast and dinner :D Since my dad wants to take her out for lunch ^^

But anyway. Here is Chapter Two! Sorry I'm late. I got really sick and was out cold for the past couple of days ;u;

Song of the day: Keine Lust (Rammstein)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

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><p>Chapter Two<p>

_Better a thousand times careful than once dead (Proverb)_

The cold weather did not sit well with either Reborn or Tsuna. Both of them were from Italy, but Reborn had spent most of his life in Southern China before moving to Britain. Tsuna could count the amount of times he'd seen snow on one hand, so both men had been largely unprepared at the sheer amount of icy white fluff they would have to encounter on their trip through Russia.

It was sheer relief to have finally stepped through the last portal a week later onto the grounds of China, and into the much anticipated warmer weather. It was still cool since it was December, but hey, nobody was knee deep in the snow and stumbling through woodland anymore.

Tsuna blinked, looking up into the sky through the branches of the trees overhead. It was mid-afternoon here, and the air was crisp and clear. They were standing in a forest once again, but the trees were not as thick as it had been up North. Bright sunlight streamed through the branches and leaves, leaving the ground in patches of gold and brown. It was quite a pretty sight.

"Are we…here?" Tsuna asked, gaping.

Reborn chuckled, undoing the buttons on his coat. "Yes. I recognize this area; it's the forest located near the back of the place. If I remember correctly, we'll have to cross the river before going up behind the mountain."

"We have to climb a mountain?" Tsuna choked, staring. Reborn bonked him on the head lightly.

"No, idiot. It's _behind_ it, I just said that."

"Whoops," Tsuna muttered sheepishly, rubbing the lump on his head.

"Let's go," Reborn said simply, grabbing Tsuna's hand and pulling him along. Heart fluttering like a bird taking flight, Tsuna allowed his boyfriend to gently lead him along the path.

It was fortunate that Reborn knew the area, because Tsuna often found that he had a terrible sense of direction. It had taken him six years to get out of Italy and find London. He felt so hopeless at times. But what truly made the brunette happy was the fact that for the first time, Reborn looked at home. The man didn't show it, but Tsuna could tell by the way he glanced at the scenery and the small, fleeting looks of recognition on his face that Reborn was glad to be in China. Tsuna soon found himself wondering what Reborn's childhood was like, and who this 'Fon' was. If Reborn had literally uprooted the two of them from the Grimm Office ten minutes after reading his friend's letter, Fon must be very important to him.

They reached the river a little while later, though it was more like a stream. The water was knee-deep and refreshingly cool when Tsuna, after pulling his boots off and rolling up his pants, dunked his feet in. The sunlight reflected brilliantly off the surface and the stones were slippery beneath their toes. Reborn offered to give him a piggyback ride across, but Tsuna rejected that almost before the offer was out of the elder's mouth; he hadn't seen such wonderful scenery in years. Or rather, hadn't had the heart to appreciate such views. He'd been all over Europe, but his heart had been burdened.

"Someone's enthusiastic," Reborn commented lightly as Tsuna splashed his way out of the water, emerging on the opposite bank with his pants drenched.

"This place is beautiful!" Tsuna replied, beaming widely. "It must have been wonderful to live here when you were younger. Why did you leave, Reborn?"

"I couldn't stay here forever," Reborn answered crossly, calmly exiting the water in a much more graceful manner. "It's like living in your mother's basement for the rest of your life."

"I wouldn't mind that if I could live here," Tsuna said dreamily, staring up. Reborn was right; they were already facing the massive side of the mountain that wound upwards in a near vertical tilt. A small path wound through the shrubbery and lead back into the next part of the forest, once against shadowed by the lean trees. The brunette picked up his boots, eager to start walking and feeling the cool earth under his feet, but Reborn suddenly came up behind him, a large hand reaching around to rest on Tsuna's hip, his thumb hooking around one of the belt loops. Tsuna blushed, looking up at the other, and saw a rare smile on Reborn's face.

"I'm glad you like this place."

Tsuna blinked, blinked again, and then nodded, a little confused. "I do. Should we get going, though? I don't want to be late meeting up with Fon."

Reborn nodded, and with his arm still around Tsuna, walked up the path with the brunette. The area was quieter here, and the leaves were thicker. A comfortable silence settled over the two again and they continued their way down the winding path into the forest until they reached a small clearing. A set of wide stone steps led up to a magnificent temple built right against the side of the mountain. Tsuna gaped at the giant building. The temple was painted a deep red, almost four stories high, and had largely intricate designs upon its doorways, windows, on the rooftop and the statues distributed around. Each figure was carved out of stone, set with such detail the brunette was stunned that they didn't get up off their perch and start walking around.

"Like it?" Reborn asked, his amusement at the younger's astounded expression evident in his voice.

"Like it?" Tsuna repeated in awe. "This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen in my life!"

"Well, I'm glad that all my effort of keeping the temple clean by myself for the past ten years was put to good use."

Both hunters jumped and whirled around as a voice spoke up softly from behind them. Standing a little ways from where they were was a tall Chinese man dressed in a simple red robe, black slacks, and flat soled shoes. He had closely cut black hair and spikey bangs that framed his almond eyes that were so dark in colour they could rival Reborn's. Barely visible was a long thin braid running down the man's back, tied off with a strand of red chord. He bowed low to the Reborn and Tsuna, and the calm, serene smile never left his face.

"Welcome to China, gentlemen."

Tsuna stared, trying very hard not to look like an idiot with his jaw hanging open. Everything about this man seemed so graceful it was hard to believe he wasn't some divine form cast down by the heavens, or whatever existed up in the clouds. Reborn sucked in a breath and looked their new company up and down for a moment before asking incredulously, "Fon?"

Fon straightened up, beaming. "Long time no see, Reborn. You're looking well."

Reborn actually choked back a loud snort, dropping his bag on the ground and walking over to inspect his friend. "What the hell happened to you, you arse? When did you grow out your hair and start dressing properly?"

Fon coughed daintily and answered, "Since I _grew up_, Reborn. You didn't seriously think that I would keep up the habits from my teenage years, did you?"

"Judging by the way you were acting back then, I was more than convinced," Reborn retorted, but there was no poison in his words. In fact, as the dark-haired man took a stop forwards, Fon did the same, and they embraced each other with a firm slap on the back. It went without saying that despite their general pretense of casual care, the two men were happy to see each other again.

"That reminds me, I haven't properly introduced," Reborn said calmly, walking over to where Tsuna stood, looking nervous. The brunette smiled weakly up at Fon, uncertain as to what to do. Reborn placed a hand on the teen's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "This is Tsuna, my boyfriend. He's an excellent hunter."

Tsuna blushed red at those words and returned Fon's gracious bow before shaking the man's hand. "It's a pleasure, Tsuna. May I call you Tsuna?" Fon asked, giving him a blinding smile.

"Of course," Tsuna replied, mentally congratulating himself for not falling apart. There was just _something_ about Fon. The man held such a smooth, commanding aura that it made him nervous. In a way, Fon was a lot like Reborn. No matter what the situation was, their presence demanded attention and control.

"Well, I didn't clean just to leave the two of you standing outside," Fon grinned, giving Tsuna a nudge forwards. "You're the second group to arrive, after the first couple, of course."

"You mean they're here already?" Reborn asked, eyes narrowing. Fon chuckled and helped Tsuna grab his bag despite the teen's protests. "You'd be surprised at how far they've come along, Reborn."

"Oh lord, I don't want to know," Reborn almost groaned, passing a hand over his face, leaving Tsuna to poke at his arm and ask, "What's wrong?" as they climbed up the flight of stairs.

"Don't worry about it," Reborn grumbled a little, pressing his lips together, but before Tsuna had a chance to prod for answers a little more, a vivid blonde blur went flying out of the temple's wide doorway and leapt for Reborn at once. The two collided in a massive blow of limbs and cuss words. Tsuna yelped in shock and Fon burst out laughing as Reborn almost fell backwards off the steps again.

"Don't worry, they always do this," he reassured Tsuna.

"'They'?" Tsuna asked, befuddled, and it was only then did he see Reborn practically duking it out on the landing with a tall blonde man dressed in casual military camouflage equipment. His hair was nearly as spikey and mussed up as Tsuna's was, and there was a strange headband tied into the mass of sunshine yellow with a huge #1 pin stuck on the side. The man had a heavier build than Reborn, but while the dark-haired man radiated elegance and smoothness, the blonde was all about impact and blunt, crippling force. The two exchanged fast and furious blows, but suddenly, a figure stormed past Tsuna's side, nearly sending him flying out of the way, and grabbed the blonde by the back of his shirt, hauling him aside with a loud shout of "IDIOT!"

Tsuna winced at the volume of the voice and felt his jaw drop further more when he realized that it was a _woman_ who had pulled the blonde man back. She was the shortest out of everyone here, even Tsuna, who barely hit 5'5. She had long, shoulder length, navy blue hair that was cut in spikey layers and a strange red scar running down the right side of her face. She wore a tan coloured tank top, shorts and boots, along with a strange pair of infrared goggles tucked over her dark hair. Her eyes blazed with the serious, no-nonsense type of glare that reminded the brunette painfully of Alaude.

The blonde man who'd been yanked back ungracefully choked a little, pulling on his collar. "Lal!" he whined loudly. "Why'd you do that? I was winning against this arse!"

"You wish!" Reborn hollered back, brushing dust off his sleeves before walking briskly over to where Tsuna was standing, grumbling under his breath. Tsuna couldn't help but chuckle and reach up to wipe a smear of dirt off Reborn's cheek.

"Who's that?" the woman—Lal—asked bluntly, not bothering to be polite about her question. The blonde tilted his head to one side, trying his best to catch a glimpse of the brunette even though Lal had him in a chokehold.

"This is Tsuna, Reborn's boyfriend," Fon introduced cheerfully, even the mediator. "Tsuna, this is Lal Mirch and Colonello. They also lived with us in this temple, and we all followed Master."

Tsuna bowed politely while Lal raised an eyebrow and Colonello's jaw dropped. "Reborn has a boyfriend? I thought he was asexual!"

Tsuna nearly died of laughter at the look on Reborn's face as he and Fon tried to restrain the dark-haired man from mauling the blonde. Luckily, Lal rolled her eyes and punched Colonello in the gut, saying something along the lines of him being too much of oaf and not having enough brains. "We'll talk later," she barked at the group of three. "We were training and Colonello skipped out on me."

Fon, Reborn, and Tsuna all watched as Lal dragged Colonello by the collar back into the temple, vanishing behind a set of closed doors, most likely leading to the training grounds of the temple. Tsuna swallowed hard. How big was this place? Was he going to get lost in here? That would be embarrassing. There was a loud bang somewhere and the ceiling shook, making dust fall, which was followed by an incredibly loud and painful yell. All three males winced simultaneously.

"And that is why, gentlemen," Fon said smoothly, brushing a strand of hair back, "you shouldn't get married for a very long time."

"No shit," Reborn snorted, picking up his bags. "Where are we staying?"

As Fon told the dark-haired man which rooms he'd prepared for the two of them, Tsuna's brain finally caught up with what the Chinese man had just said.

"W-wait, Lal and Colonello are married?" he shrieked, looking shocked. Fon and Reborn looked at each other in surprise, and then the Italian rolled his eyes while Fon chuckled lightly at Tsuna's surprise.

"Well, generally, yes. For about two years already."

"And you knew that?" Tsuna turned to Reborn, who rolled his eyes and bonked the teen on the head again.

"I don't need to see a wedding ring to _know_ they're married, idiot." Then, a smirk crossed over Reborn's face and he leaned in, close enough for his lips to brush against Tsuna's ear. The brunette squeaked in surprise. "Unless _you_ want something along those lines…?"

"D-don't do that!" Tsuna yelped, shoving Reborn from him, burning red. Fon watched in amusement, but graciously swooped down to save Tsuna from Reborn's teasing by picking up the brunette's previously discarded bag and thrusting it into Reborn's chest.

"Here, Tsuna, let me show you to your rooms."

Reborn rolled his eyes as his younger lover bounded after Fon, chatting away, almost completely at ease again. Fon had that type of effect on people. His calm, easygoing nature allowed him to make friends easily and connect with people a lot more quickly than Reborn ever could. But, of course, there was _that_ side that Fon did not seem to show so often anymore…had ten years really changed them all so much?

Reborn hefted up the bags and watched Tsuna talk animatedly with his friend. Then again, maybe ten years had changed a lot about him too. He would have never let someone like Tsuna, even though he was only half-demon, approach him, let alone get close enough to fall in love with him. Reborn wasn't naïve enough to believe that they would last forever. But with Tsuna, he couldn't help but do something he would have never bothered to years ago.

He wished that they would stay with each other for as long as they possibly could.

* * *

><p>Dinner that night was a lively affair. The dining hall was the largest section in the whole temple after the training hall. Tsuna hadn't noticed before, but apparently there was a huge group of monks living in the temple as well. They ate separately from the hunters, but they all knew Fon and worked well with him. Their leader was a young, energetic man named Dino, who smiled a lot and tripped over his own feet a lot as well. There were several other older monks who didn't really look like monks, but Tsuna was also introduced to a really, really, <em>really<em> loud man with long silver hair named Squalo, a tall blonde whose eyes were hidden under long, sweeping bangs named Bel, and a quiet young by who went by the name of Basil. Tsuna hit it off with him right away.

They ate a delicious meal of rice, steamed buns and fish that had been actually caught down by the river, and for Tsuna and Reborn, it was the first real meal they'd had in ages. Travel meant money, and money was scarce. Sometimes, they'd go out and hunt for small animals to roast instead of spending money on restaurants in the cities they'd passed by. Colonello burst out laughing when he heard that and called them cavemen. Reborn then retaliated by calling him a soft, snot-nosed loser, which resulted in various amounts of food and plates being thrown at each other. Lal intervened, and Fon had to play peacemaker again, so Tsuna grabbed his dish before his food was stolen from him and ate with the monks, who were okay despite their obvious lack of…monk-ness.

When everybody had finally settled down again, dinner was half over, so the hunters excused themselves and left through one of the doors near the back of the room. It led to a long, dark hallway that winded and twisted and made Tsuna wonder again exactly how big this blasted temple was, until Fon pulled a jumble of keys out from his sleeves and chose a rusted brass one. He paused at a set of sliding doors and unlocked the room. The ceiling was low and the lighting was dim, but Colonello and Reborn pulled out their lighters and lit up the candles lying around the room while Lal pulled up a floorboard and lifted up a set of dusty pillows for them to sit on, since there were no tables or chairs in the empty room they were in.

Tsuna sat down next to Reborn and Fon, nervous. When everybody had settled in a small circle, the Chinese man cleared his throat and said simply, "Shall we get started?"

The cheerful, goofy atmosphere was gone. The four older hunters seated around Tsuna were quiet now, the shadows on their faces cast by the flickering candles made them look older, more dangerous. Tsuna swallowed and realized that everybody here was a lot more powerful than he'd taken them to be. Demon hunting was not for the weak of heart. Colonello wasn't lazing about, trying to irritate his wife or crack jokes. Fon's serene smile was gone, and an emotionless expression made the smooth lines of his face go hard. Lal and Reborn, who were both normally serious to begin with, looked even more stoic than usual. It was in that moment that Tsuna realized how much of a child he really was compared to these hunters.

"What's the situation for now?" Reborn asked, his voice echoing slightly around the room.

"There's been movement around the temple and in neighboring villages," Lal said. "It's nothing serious, but the constant motion does not bode well."

"Have there been any attacks?" Reborn inquired.

"None on the temple so far," Fon replied. "But there's no guarantee that it'll remain that way."

"Hear, hear," Colonello mumbled. "We need to gather everyone as soon as we can."

"Everyone?" Tsuna asked, disliking how his voice shook a little. To his immense relief, Reborn slid his hand over, unnoticed by everyone in the room, and covered Tsuna's hand with his own.

"All of the Master's students," Lal answered. "There are six students; six of us. When the balance between the Overworld and the Underworld grows weak, it is up to us to create the balance once again."

"How?" Tsuna blinked, utterly confused. The world was a big place; did six people honestly have a chance of saving it?

"The Master was a servant of the Overking; Leader of the Heavens," Fon said. "We've been given the task to keep the world in check since we were children."

"Children?" Tsuna babbled. It didn't feel right. It was like child soldiers, and the thought of it made his stomach twist. What exactly was Reborn's childhood?

"It's the way things are," Reborn dismissed smoothly. "We grew into our roles, so there's nothing to worry about. But if the world is on the verge of collapsing, it is our duty to come together no matter where we are and bring back order."

"Excluding Tsuna, only four of us have gathered here," Fon said. "We are still waiting on the remaining two. Once all of the Master's disciples have gathered, we will be able to open the Ancient Texts, scriptures left behind by the ancestors of this temple, and hopefully, find a way to stop the unbalance the chaos caused by the King of the Underworld."

"Like the battle in London," Reborn indicated for the sake of Tsuna's understanding, and the brunette felt another pain in his gut. If there were more fights like that in the world, god knows how many more of his friends he would have to see fall.

Just like Yamamoto and Alaude had.

"Who are we waiting for?" Tsuna whispered.

The four exchanged glances. "Two men named Verde and Mammon. Verde currently resides in France and Mammon lives in Spain at the moment," Fon responded. "I've sent out the messages, and I hope that they'll be able to arrive as soon as possible."

"If they're still around to receive the message, that is," Colonello grunted, and Lal jabbed him in the ribs.

"Stop saying such morbid things!"

"I'm just being honest!" Colonello defended. Lal opened her mouth, but then she stopped, frowned, and stood up abruptly. "Excuse me," she said stiffly. "I'm not feeling well."

She exited the room, leaving the men behind in silence. Colonello frowned and got to his feet as well. "She's been like this lately. I'm going to check up on her."

"Make sure you do," Fon said wearily. "The last thing we need is one of us to be out of commission. We're extremely lucky that Reborn brought Tsuna along to help."

Colonello nodded and hurried after Lal. They could hear him running noisily down the halls, calling after his wife. Fon sighed and folded his sleeves neatly in his lap. "Well, I suppose three people holding a meeting won't do any good. Rest up early and we'll see if Verde and Mammon will arrive soon. But given the fact that it took you two almost three weeks to come here…you ran into demons along the way, didn't you?" Fon asked dryly, and Reborn snorted.

"Every fucking day."

"I thought so," Fon sighed. "Lal and Colonello were in Romania when I sent a message to them, and they happened to be travelling at the time, so they just changed their course and came straight to China, which was definatly quicker and easier. Unlike you, Tsuna, Verde and Mammon, Lal and Colonello didn't have to uproot themselves from their jobs and whatnot."

"You have no idea," Tsuna said, thinking about the _Gone for vacation_ sign he'd posted on the door of the Grimm Office before they left. He wondered how many rabid customers would be cussing them off at this time for leaving so unexpectedly, especially after the pile of letters they'd just received. Hopefully, nothing of extreme importance would be in the mail. Judging from the look on Reborn's face, the elder was clearly thinking about the same thing too.

"Well, I think now would be a good time to turn in," Fon smiled at them. "It's been a long day, why don't you to go get some rest? The monks make breakfast twice in the morning; once at dawn and one after their prayers, which is around eight. You can join in whenever it suits you."

"Thanks," Reborn said, pulling Tsuna to his feet. "We'll talk tomorrow, and hopefully those two idiots will be around for this as well."

"Hopefully," Fon agreed, and then they were walking up the hallway again, through the dining hall, where the monks were still drinking their wine heartily and making music with strange stringed instruments, before exiting the massive room and walking up a set of winding stairs to the second level.

The room Fon had provided for them could have easily fit seven of the Grimm Office inside, and Tsuna had never been inside a place so big in his life. Unluckily for Reborn, the brunette was easily amused, and had spent at least ten minutes before dinner rolling around the room in happiness. It was dark when Tsuna slid open the doorway with a yawn, fully intent on collapsing onto the soft bed situated near the back of the room, but to his surprise, a hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, and before Tsuna could object or make any other movement, Reborn was kissing him senseless, a hand tangled on the back of Tsuna's head, tangling into his hair, and the other hand was on his back, pulling the brunette tightly against him. Tsuna flapped his arms wildly in shock.

"Wha—wha—what?" the teen stuttered when Reborn pulled back, dark eyes boring into chocolate brown ones. "What are you doing?"

"Kissing you, stupid," Reborn answered, hardly hesitating or showing any trace of embarrassment. Tsuna thanked whatever deity existed that it was dark, and Reborn couldn't see the raging blush across his face.

"You could have just asked instead of scaring me to death!" Tsuna pouted, crossing his arms, elbows bumping against his boyfriend's chest because of how close they were.

"Hey, idiot," Reborn grumbled, grabbing Tsuna's chin so that the brunette faced him completely, "We've been running around for three weeks like chickens with their heads cut off. Hell, I couldn't even _sleep_ right because of how often we were being attacked, let alone finding a decent chance to kiss you properly. Now will you shut up and just let me relax with you for once?"

Tsuna turned about ten different shades of red at those words and he felt as though his heart might just explode out of his ribcage, but he nodded and allowed Reborn to melt their lips together once more, a little more insistent this time, but nonetheless still an incredibly sweet kiss. For a man who had been destroying his whole life, Reborn was an oddly gentle lover. Or maybe that was just Tsuna being sappy.

But seriously, whole romance novel mentality aside, the brunette knew what was driving his boyfriend's actions.

Every day, every moment could be their last, and if they weren't careful, they could easily end up all alone once again. And Tsuna knew exactly how painful that feeling was.

As they tumbled backwards onto the bed, feeling the sheets crease under the weight of two people and their hands scrambling around to hold each other, Tsuna couldn't help allow himself to indulge in a wish he knew was near impossible.

He wished to stay with Reborn.

Forever.

* * *

><p>I love how Word always has time to suggest for me to reconsider certain fragments, yet doesn't tell me that I mixed up my word so badly the sentence couldn't even make sense anymore, le rage quit. D:<p>

If I made any mistakes, I'm extra sorry, since I'm really tired and I couldn't concentrate enough to check everything over. I need to get better soon, since I have three seminars to present withing two weeks and school is just making everything worse ;u;

But anyway, thank you for reading! Thank you so much to those who commented on Chapter One :'D I hope you like the story thus far!

-BlackStar


	3. Chapter 3

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

So the quote I have at the beginning of this chapter is one of my favourites, by C.S. Lewis. And it reminds me of one of my friends who loves Lewis' works. I haven't spoken to him for over a year now…I guess some things just can't last, eh? Haha, guess not.

Here is Chapter Three, banzai! I had a day off today so I finished this chapter while eating sushi for breakfast :3

Song of the day: I won't give up (Jason Mraz)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Three<p>

_Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…it has no survival value; rather, it is one of those things that gives value to survival. (C.S. Lewis)_

The snow was falling thick and fast in the forest of Russia as the hook-handed demons raced through the trees, their red eyes alive with panic and fear. Somewhere behind them, a shape moved about the shadows, chasing and closing in on them. What kind of monster was it? They had never seen something move so fast in their life. There was another hiss as one of the demons was downed, dissolving into ash that was swept away in the raging wind. One by one, all the monsters fell to the unknown force, screaming, writhing, and shivering before turning into nothing once more.

The last demon twisted and turned until it skidded to a halt in the middle of a clearing tucked away between the trees. It stopped, bony ribs shuddering with each heavy breath it took. Pin drop-silence greeted the supernatural being. It was as though everything had frozen in time, and the only indication that the world was still turning was the snow that was drifting slowly down to earth because the wind had suddenly ceased to blow. The demon turned rapidly about, scanning the trees. There was no movement, yet it could not shake the feeling that danger was coming upon it. Hesitantly, it edged towards the shadows, willing to melt away into nothing as the snow continued to fall and the sun began to set early, as it always did when the winter season was upon them.

Suddenly, a hand shot out from between the limbs of the tree and the demon shrieked, flailing its hook as it tried to fight back. The hand squeezed, and several disks popped out of place in its spine. The monster froze, in pain, but it hoped that maybe if it remained stock still, it might be spared.

No such luck.

The attacker emerged from the darkness, wearing a black cloak with a large hood pulled over its head, and the hand holding the demon's throat was wearing a thick leather glove. "You," the voice growled out, "have you seen two hunters?"

"H-hunters?" the demon rasped out, confused.

"Hunters," the other snarled, clearly impatient. "Hunters, stupid! I know they crossed over these lands. Have you seen a hunter with black hair and another with orange eyes?"

The demon paused, thinking hard. Then, it hit him. There had been rumors running about the forest that two hunters had bested their own kind, not only managing to kill five of them, but evade at least twenty others that had gone to hunt them down. Two hunters that had not exceeded three decades of age, one barely a man, had taken their own kind down without batting an eyelash. And those orange orbs they this demon was talking about…However, word was they had already passed through another portal and into another part of Russia some time ago. The captured monster gulped.

"They're long gone!" the demon hissed frantically. "They jumped through a portal to a human village!"

There was silence from the demon in the cloak. "Is that so?" it eventually asked, its voice low and gravelly.

"I swear it!" the demon pleaded.

"Then I'll take your word," the other replied, and with a clean, swift move, it plunged its other gloved hand into the demon's body and began to absorb the other's dark aura. The weakening demon writhed and screamed until it was nearly nothing, and the last thing those bloody, fearful red eyes saw were a pair of light purple orbs glowing from underneath the shadows of the hood.

When the demon had finally dissolved into ashes as well, the cloaked one straightened up, brushing dust off its arm.

"A portal…" it murmured quietly, brushing the hood off to reveal thick, spikey hair nearly as white as the snow falling to the ground.

"Well, well, where will those two run next…?"

With a sweep of its feet, the demon vanished into the shadows of the trees once more, and the only indication anyone had ever been in the clearing were a pair of footprints that were fast being filled with the falling snow.

* * *

><p>Morning came slowly to the two hunters curled up in bed. Reborn had been more than accurate when he said that they'd hardly gotten a wink of sleep since their stay at the Inn in Russia. Both males were currently lying under a mass of blankets with Tsuna tucked under Reborn's chin and the elder's arms lying loosely around the younger's thin frame. The dark-haired man was snoring softly, small breaths puffing against Tsuna's messy hair, and the teen was pressed up against Reborn's chest, enjoying the much welcomed warmth the other gave.<p>

Of course, such peaceful moments were not meant to last.

"VOIIIIIII!"

Tsuna leapt upright in shock, which in turn jarred Reborn awake, and the two painfully bumped heads as they reacted to the ear-shattering shout. Was somebody being stabbed to death or something?

"VOIIIIII, BEL, YOU IDIOT, GET YOUR BROOM AWAY FROM ME!"

"Ushishishi, make me, stupid Squalo," a voice floated up from the temple grounds outside, gloating loudly.

"I'LL GET YOU, YOU SPLIT-FACED FREAK!"

"Stop it, guys! You're too noisy in the morning!"

Recognizing Dino's voice, Tsuna groggily leaned over to open the window next to their bed, only to yelp and duck as a sandal went flying into their room, smashed into the ceiling, ricocheted off, and fell to the floor with a _plop_.

"What the actual _fuck_?" Reborn cussed heavily, pushing his hair out of his eyes, looking dangerously close to mauling anything that breathed.

"What's going on?" Tsuna cried, leaning out the window to see what on earth was happening two stories below. It was the monks, who were doing their daily morning chores. Squalo, Bel, and Dino were standing in the middle of the vast garden that Tsuna and Reborn's room overlooked with rakes, brooms, buckets and various gardening tools in hand, dressed in grey work robes and, needless to say, sandals. Squalo happened to be missing one, and an incredibly smug Bel stood a few feet away from the silver-haired man, right under Tsuna and Reborn's window. Dino looked up to see Tsuna staring at them and called up to the brunette at once.

"My apologies, my brother! It was only an accident," the blonde grinned weakly, tripping over a bump in the lawn.

"I hope so," Tsuna answered weakly, wondering if the three of them gardening under their room in the morning would become a daily thing.

Reborn appeared next to Tsuna and chucked the sandal back out, which nailed Bel in the back of the head. "It had better be an accident!" he threatened before yanking Tsuna back into the room and slamming the window shut, successfully drowning out the blonde's yells that would definitely be inappropriate for young ears. Were those guys really monks? They were more like _delinquent_ monks.

"Someone's cranky," Tsuna teased, leaning over to kiss Reborn on the cheek before sliding out of bed to grab a change of clothes. Reborn muttered something about five more minutes of sleep while the brunette changed out of his sleepwear and moved into the bathroom to wash up. It looked like a nice day, and Tsuna was more than willing to spend the day exploring the temple. He reasoned that he deserved to have a day of fun before things got serious. Splashing water onto his face to freshen up, Tsuna managed a smile at his disheveled reflection. Today looked promising.

Fortunately, the older man was out of bed and pulling on a pair of slacks when Tsuna emerged back into the room. Tsuna had hardly ever seen Reborn wear anything other than a suit, and even when the man was lazing around during off-hours, he would still don a dress shirt opened at the collar and a pair of pressed pants. Right now, the slacks hanging loosely off the man's hips looked outstandingly appealing to Tsuna, especially since Reborn hadn't managed to find his shirt yet.

"Like what you see?"

Reborn's voice jolted Tsuna out of his thoughts, and he turned red at once, knowing that he'd been caught staring.

"Put a shirt on," he said quickly, pouting a little before fixing his own top, glancing at the door. "I want to go eat breakfast."

Reborn glanced at the general mess of bags and tools on the floor and shrugged, grabbing his boots and pulling them on instead. "Nah. I don't feel like wearing one."

Tsuna flushed even darker. "Reborn! Have a little decency, will you?"

"What's so indecent about not wearing a shirt?" the man smirked, clearly doing this to irritate and poke fun at his younger lover, knowing how easily flustered Tsuna could get a times. Tsuna groaned and rolled his eyes, looking away while his face burned like a tomato in the oven.

"Hurry up, ass."

Reborn chuckled and leaned over to the nightstand to grab his hunting knife, which he tucked into his boot and dug up his gun from the bags that had been pushed into the corner last night. "Coming, coming," he said simply, looping the holster around his waist instead of strapping it across his chest. A large hand found the smaller one, and Tsuna allowed his boyfriend to give him a slightly apologetic peck on the lips before they headed downstairs for breakfast.

The only person in the dining hall was Colonello, who was reading something in an old, tattered book, eating a plate of noodles, and smoking a cigarette casually. He glanced up when Reborn and Tsuna walked in, nonchalantly bidding them good morning.

"What the hell are you reading?" Reborn demanded, lifting up the corner of the book to glance at the title. Tsuna caught a glimpse of several Chinese characters scrawled on the cover before Colonello slammed his fist down, effectively hiding the title from view. Tsuna didn't understand what it said, but Reborn apparently did, because the hunter sat down next to Tsuna, raising an eyebrow at the blonde who continued to read on opposite to him.

"Herbal medicine? Since when did you want to become a doctor?"

"Shut up, asshole," Colonello grumbled, turning the page and taking a drag. "It's for Lal. She's not feeling well."

"That's not her," Reborn commented dryly, kicking Colonello under the table. "Pass me a smoke."

The blonde glared as he shoveled a mouthful of noodles down, but dug into the pocket of his army pants and tossed a crumpled package to the dark-haired man regardless. "I know it's not like Lal to get sick, which is why I'm caring enough to want to brew her something that might ward off a common cold, alright?"

"How sweet," Reborn snickered, picking out a cigarette. "She might punch you in the face for getting soft, though."

Colonello winced. "She might," he agreed, apparently approving of Reborn's hypothesis enough to allow the man to lean over and press the tip of the fresh cigarette to Colonello's already burning one. There was a moment where the two of them lingered, waiting for Reborn's to light up, their faces just inches away from each other's because Colonello's cigarette was burning short already. Then, Reborn exhaled a mouthful of greyish smoke, and he pulled back, gracefully inhaling again.

Tsuna bit his lip. For some reason, he felt a little awkward. It was strange being reminded of the fact that Reborn was almost always at complete ease with the people here at the temple, obviously because they had grown up with each other and had grown used to their friends' presence. The Reborn Tsuna had first known was the cold, distant man who rarely let others into his personal space, which was why this interactive personality was a bit foreign to him.

But, whatever. Breakfast calls.

Tsuna happily dug into his own plate of noodles while Reborn smoked and Colonello read, the silence only broken by the occasional page being turned and the fork being scraped across a plate. Outside, they could hear the monks going about their daily business and birds chirping. Sunlight streamed through the glass in the towering ceiling, setting a pleasant orange glow over the dining hall.

"Where's Fon?" Reborn asked after a while, flicking ash onto the tray.

"Outside," Colonello replied, looking bored as he turned another tattered page. "He's doing his martial arts thing again."

"It doesn't usually take him so long," Reborn commented, glancing at the clock at the end of the hall.

"Yeah, but you remember the Fon from ten years ago," Colonello replied. "He's learned up until the twelfth movements of _Bakuren Shippuuken_ already, and he's been getting up two hours earlier each day so he could fit the sequence in during morning practice."

"Twelfth movement?" Reborn repeated, sounding impressed against his will. "He's been busy. Last I checked, he was on number four."

"That was when he was fifteen years old, Reborn," Colonello said. "Time move fast, you know."

"Yeah? What happened to you then?" the dark-haired hunter asked, leaning back. "Did you ever get into COMBUSIN?"

"Got in, did shit, and left them alive," Colonello shot back, a bit of pride in his voice. "I moved up the ranks fast enough to catch up to Lal's old spot before I dropped."

"Ex-COMBUSIN already? Finicky, aren't we," Reborn smirked, but from the tone of his voice, Tsuna could tell that he wasn't really making fun of Colonello. Whatever COMBUSIN was, it was clearly big, because the dark-haired man actually spoke about it with an air of high regard.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Colonello said, waving his hand airily. "Things got hectic, and I couldn't stay. It would have meant a lot of trouble for the guys at the main base. I was located at the South Branch."

"You didn't get a demon raid, did you?" Reborn asked, eyes narrowing. Colonello shifted.

"We did. The place was leveled. Three people got out alive."

"Who?"

Colonello huffed and stubbed his cigarette out. "Me." he said, his baby blue eyes abnormally dark. "And Lal, and Fon, both of whom I had called for backup."

Reborn was quiet, as was Tsuna, who felt his stomach turn over. Only the demon hunters had gotten out of the fight alive. Then, all of Colonello's comrades at the base were…

"What's past is past," the blonde sighed, closing the book with an odd _flup_ sound because of the floppy parchment. "I wandered around Europe and ended up in Sweden with Lal. Later on, we moved around again for hunting and then got Fon's letter rambling about how the world was going to end or something."

"You left out the part where you dropped your man card," Reborn prodded, unable to hide his smirk. Colonello flushed, looking annoyed and happy at the same time.

"Yes, asshole, I got married. Now shut up and do something productive."

"Harassing you is productive," Reborn pointed out. "When I see that bastard Verde, he owes me money."

"You made a bet about me getting married?" Colonello shouted, leaping to his feet and slamming his hands down onto the table. Reborn snickered and said, "Shut up, I said you'd get married within eleven years. Verde said fifteen. I was clearly more on your side."

Colonello glared and ground his teeth irritably. "You're an _assbag_, Reborn."

"And you know it," the hunter replied smoothly, putting out his cigarette too. "Are you done eating, Tsuna?"

"Yeah," the brunette replied, placing his fork down, plate clean. "Can we go for a walk?"

"You lovebirds can go," Colonello huffed, picking up the book. "I'm going to see if Lal's up yet."

"Send her my regards, blondie," Reborn called out after the man's retreating back, and got a middle finger in retaliation. "What a stiff guy," the hunter mumbled, stretching his back so that the waistline of his pants dropped dangerously low. "You wanted to go outside, Tsuna?"

"Yeah," the brunette replied, looking pointedly away, cheeks turning red. Reborn chuckled and reached over to take the younger's hand, sliding his fingers smoothly between the other's. "Alright, let's go. There's something I needed to visit and wanted to show you, actually."

Curious, Tsuna glanced up at his boyfriend before shrugging his shoulders, offering him a smile. "Lead the way, then."

The gardens, as Tsuna learned, were so massive that they were separated into the four corners of the temple, each representing one of the Four Elements based on the general make-up of the geography. The part of the garden their room overlooked was the Earth, which explained the massive amount of plants and vegetation that grew there because of the soil that had grown rich from the mineral water trickling down from the mountain pass. There was one side that faced the highland and rested under its shadow, which included a small stream and waterfall. That was obviously the Water. Right opposite to that section was the sandy part of the garden that got the most sunlight. Hence, Fire. Lastly, there was a rolling hill near the southern part of the garden that more than often housed a healthy breeze, representing Air. Reborn led Tsuna towards that general direction, walking up the paved paths as the brunette fascinated himself with the shrubberies, statues, and garden decorations that he'd never seen before. The elder had seen the landscape too many times in his childhood to be excited anymore, but the expression on his face clearly depicted that he was pleased to see the temple's grounds flourishing so well.

"This place is nothing like London," Tsuna said softly. "If only the city got as much sunlight as it does here in China."

"Silly, London does get sunlight," Reborn replied, smacking the brunette's head gently. "We cleared up the demon infestation, didn't we? It's definitely more welcoming than it used to be."

"Well, that's good," Tsuna smiled. Reborn made a noise in his throat in reply, and then tugged on the teen's hand, pulling him up towards the top hill. When they came to the top, there was something placed under a sprawling peach tree growing amongst the plants. "Here it is. What I wanted to show you."

Tsuna blinked. It was a long slab of rectangular stone, rounded at the edges and neatly polished, resting upon a longer base that was made of the same material. The brunette looked at Reborn, confused, and the dark-haired man only gave him a small smile before bowing at the stone.

"Long time to see, Master."

Tsuna's jaw dropped. He pointed at the stone, gaped, and stuttered out, "M-master?"

"Yup," Reborn replied, straightening up. "She died ten years ago."

"She?" Tsuna repeated again, gawking. "Uh—should I bow as well?"

"No need," Reborn chuckled. "I haven't visited her grave in exactly a decade, since the day I left this place and moved west. She'd probably smack me on the arm and tell me to never forget the small things in life, yet she wouldn't be upset that I never came back to offer my respects."

"I see…" Tsuna said softly, glancing down at the maker. "What was her name?"

"Luche," Reborn answered. "She was a High Spirit of the Overking's court who took the body of a woman to gather six children on earth to protect the balance between the two realms that had been constantly in conflict with one another since the beginning of time. In a way, she was like our surrogate mother."

"And she chose you?" Tsuna asked softly.

"Not sure why," Reborn shrugged. "I was abandoned as a child; I lived on the streets and I killed others so I could survive. But who knows? She gave a destroyer like me a chance to live a different type of life, so I took it and didn't think twice about it."

"I think Luche made the right choice. Picking you, I mean," Tsuna said firmly.

"You think so?" Reborn asked, raising an eyebrow. Tsuna ducked his head, suddenly feeling shy. "Yeah, I think so. And I'm not the only one to say that. I think that your friends would agree with her choice too. A destroyer tears things down, but that doesn't mean that it can't build something back up on the ruins it created, right?"

Reborn stared at the brunette for a moment, expressionless for so long Tsuna was terrified that he'd said the wrong thing, but then, the dark-haired man actually laughed out loud and said, "I _knew_ there's a reason why I love you, Tsuna.", and the teen turned tomato red once again.

"I thought I'd find the two of you here," a voice called out from behind them, and Reborn and Tsuna both spun around in time to see Fon running up the path to them, a troubled expression on his face.

"What's going on?" the dark-haired hunter asked at once, eyes narrowing. Fon came to a halt just a little ways below the top of the hill, taking a breath.

"The last two just arrived."

"Verde and Mammon?" Tsuna asked, eyes wide.

"Yes and no," Fon answered. "Verde arrived from France in one piece, luckily, though he told us he was chased up until the moment he crossed the portal into China. But Mammon…"

"What happened?" Reborn demanded, frown deepening on his face.

"Mammon…isn't here," Fon said. "His _apprentice_ is. Apparently he ran into a spot of trouble and is in a rather…grisly condition. He can't make it into to China without putting his life at risk. The demons know he's the last one of the six and they're determined to stop him from making it here. Fortunately, Mammon had enough sense to find a man who worked under him for some time and send him here in his place."

"Where's the apprentice coming from?" Reborn asked.

"Britain. Just like you two."

Tsuna and Reborn exchanged looks. Another demon hunter from the UK? There were many freelance hunters working out of the main cities, but they weren't people the two knew. "Let's go," Tsuna said, tugging on Reborn's arm. The dark-haired man nodded and they hurried down the hilltop, following Fon as quickly as they could.

Voices were talking from the dining hall when the three arrived back. Fon pushed open the doors quickly to reveal the hunters gathered around one of the tables near the front. Tsuna caught sight of a tall man with strange green hair that stuck up all over the place sitting at the very end. He wore rounded glasses and had a bit of stubble running along his jaw. He wore a dark shirt, but had a white coat on as well. The sleeve was rolled up to reveal a mess of bandages that were stained with red and a nasty, half-healed gash on his forearm that Colonello was currently helping bandage and applying some thick, milky-coloured cream over the cut. A black bag rested on the floor and a pistol was placed on the table. Reborn walked over with Tsuna, and the green-haired man looked up.

"Well, well, if it isn't Reborn? Who's this tiny mouse with you?"

"You took your time, Verde," Reborn answered coolly, releasing Tsuna's hand in favour of picking up the man's gun and twirling it through his fingers. Verde's eyes narrowed.

"Didn't expect it to be some bloody picnic out there, and I was right. Don't touch my stuff."

Reborn put the gun back down, but the challenging expression never left his face. Colonello coughed dryly and apparently couldn't help throwing in, "The little mouse is Reborn's boyfriend, Verde," into the heated stare-down. Tsuna burned again as Verde broke eye contact with Reborn to give him the once over.

"You don't look like much," he stated bluntly, inspecting his bandages once Colonello finished with them. "But if there's anything I learned from science, it's that the smallest things are usually the ones that make the biggest mess. Like germs."

"You're just gross," Reborn snapped. Verde flared up at once. "And _you're_ just a brat!"

"Why is it always the Frenchmen that piss me off?" Reborn snarled, and Tsuna was vividly reminded of a certain light-haired Investigator that often held such similar arguments with his boyfriend.

"Like you're any better, you accented freak!"

"You know," Colonello interrupted, "It's been ten years. You could at least _pretend_ that you're civilized, right?"

Reborn and Verde both gave Colonello death glares, but simultaneously, they both extended their hands—Verde awkwardly twisting around to hold out his undamaged one—and engaged a firm handshake. The hold lingered for a moment longer than necessary, though nobody but Tsuna really noticed, which probably meant that Reborn was silently conveying _glad you're in one piece_ and Verde was implying _good to see you after so long_. But Tsuna had a feeling that was probably the closest thing to a decent greeting either would ever exchange. What was it with these men in denial about being friends?

"Where's Mammon's apprentice?" Colonello called out, sweeping dust off the table and closing the medicine box. "Do you need help with your wound?"

"It's quite alright," a familiar voice came from near the far end of the table. "I'm a doctor; I know these things."

Tsuna whipped around to stare at Reborn, whose dark eyes were fixated upon the figure stitching up a foot that was almost completely severed off at the opposite end of the table. Mammon's apprentice was a lean young man dressed in a dark green jacket, dark pants, had a travel pack like Verde, a collapsible trident resting on the table with his blueish hair cut up in a strange, fruit-like style, and was undoubtedly—

"Mukuro!" Tsuna shrieked in shock, pointing. "What are you doing here?"

The said man jumped, turning to stare back at Reborn and Tsuna. Everybody else's heads turned to stare at them as well. "You know him?" Lal asked, incredulous.

"He's a freak doctor who nearly killed me with a needle," Reborn said while Mukuro spoke up at the same time, "He's the guy who never pays his medical bills."

Silence.

Judging from Lal's eyebrow twitch and Colonello shaking with the effort of holding back his laughter, a full-out brawl just might break out sooner or later.

"What are you doing here?" Tsuna asked, hurrying over to the doctor. He winced at the sight of Mukuro's foot. There were a pile of bloody bandages, wipes and towels scattered all over the floor, and on the table were a pair of equally stained scissors, a roll of thread and several needles. There was also a weird, spangled plant that was lying half crushed on the table, an odd green juice leaking out from its limbs. Mukuro's lower leg was covered with the green, but to Tsuna's relief, no blood was coming out of the wound as the blue haired man continued to sew himself up with an air of indifference, regarding his body like it was an experimental doll. It was a bit unnerving.

"I'm here in place of Mammon, silly Sawada," Mukuro replied, grabbing a towel to wipe off the excess juice before stitching again. "He's unable to attend this fabulous gathering."

"What…what happened to your foot?" Tsuna asked, paling as the needle poked in and out of the flesh with quick, precise moves.

"An offspring of a _Herensugue_ caught me just before I moved out of Mongolia. That's the only injury I've acquired thus far, fortunately."

"Mukuro," Fon said quietly, coming up. "I hope you realize what you'll have to do in Mammon's place. Are you sure you want to fight this war?"

Mukuro snipped the last thread off, looping it up and testing his foot gingerly on the ground. There was a noisy _squelch_ and green juice leaked out. The blue haired man was quiet for a moment before standing up. A spray of fluid shot up from between the stitches and hit Tsuna in the face.

"I have a sister at home, and if there's ever a demon uprising, she won't survive it. The best I can do for her is to ensure that there is no revolution. And sorry about that, Sawada," he added when Tsuna spat out a bit of green.

The brunette only nodded, thinking about what Mukuro had said. His _sister_. If Giotto had been offered the chance to help save the world for Tsuna's sake, the teen knew that his older brother would have agreed before all the details were said. Mukuro, despite his weird antics and his crazy doctor experiments, was obviously no different.

Fon nodded, understanding as well. "I see. Well, then I think we're set. The six apprentices of Luce have gathered. We are entitled to consult the Ancient Texts for the next steps."

He tilted his head a bit and added as an afterthought, "Hopefully we'll find something in there. There's never a guarantee."

Tsuna paled, Colonello grumbled and Lal sighed indifferently.

So much for reassurance. But, no matter. They had all gathered.

And whether any of them liked it or not, the second war had already started, and they were the pawns of fate in this new game.

* * *

><p>Terms: Herensugue - An evil serpent from the Basque Country.<p>

**A couple of random endnotes:** I'm an extremely forgetful person :'D And I'm serious when I say that, since I actually forgot about Skull. And by the time I figured it out, I didn't have the heart to change the plot. Sorry, Skull! –bows- Maybe I'll pop him in as an extra here or there…hee hee :'D

Dino called Tsuna "my brother" out of habit as a monk. Everyone is considered to be a bit like an 'extended family'.

Also: the movement between the different countries can be a bit confusing, so I'll explain briefly; everybody speaks English. All of the six (Reborn, Fon, Colonello, Lal, Verde, and Mammon) can speak Mandarin because they've lived in China since a very young age. But they all speak English in story by default, which is the language Tsuna and Mukuro use to converse with them. If they speak in another language, I'll indicate it. Depending on where they spent most of their lives during the ten years they were apart, they know other languages too, so I hope to be able to create a bit of diversity there.

Thank you for reading! Your comments all made so happy :'D

-BlackStar


	4. Chapter 4

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

You know what I just realized? Luce can't have been the Master. BECAUSE LUCE WAS THE OWNER OF LUCE'S CAFÉ IN _WELCOME TO THE GRIMM OFFICE_. I _knew_ there was a reason why I didn't think to use her name again! But then I was like…meh, it makes sense. But no. It doesn't. I feel dumb. Stupid plot errors. D; But for the sake of the story…let's just go with Luce…sigh. Stupid, stupid, stupid, _stupid _me…

In my other life: I want to watch Despicable Me 2. And the Lorax. ASDFGHJKL;.

**Also, EK12: **謝謝你的 review. I only read a little Chinese, so I may not understand what you write sometimes :'D But you're more than welcome to review in Chinese if you feel like it!

Song of the day: Ano hi Time Machine (Long Shot Party)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Four<p>

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend…somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life. (The Fray)_

The underground of the temple was a never ending maze of twists, turns, and inky darkness. Whereas the upper levels were neatly decorated, cleaned, and generally gave off a welcoming atmosphere, the basement was a dreary, wet, and mucky place. Fon revealed that he hadn't been down in the giant labyrinth since his childhood, which ruled out any chances of him cleaning. Since none of the six disciples of Luce other than Fon had stayed for more than a year beyond her death, this underground passage was left virtually untouched.

Until now.

Tsuna brushed aside a cobweb as the group moved slowly along the slippery tiled floors. His fingers traced the imprints of pictures carved into the wall, but he couldn't really see well because of the lack of light. The occasional flickering of the torch's flame against the stone threw the images into sharp relief, but none of them were a pretty sight. The pictures often showed war, brutal murders, and monsters from the Oriental in a great amount of detail. Tsuna shuddered. He really hoped he wouldn't have to see any of these beings.

"Here we are," Fon announced suddenly, his voice echoing in the dark hallway. Through the darkness there was the familiar jingling of keys, and then, the sound of an old door sliding open. Tsuna gulped audibly and let out a little squeak of surprise when Reborn suddenly nudged him forward.

"Relax," his lover said quietly. "Nothing's going to eat you."

"Wouldn't count on that," Verde's voice came from the back, but before Reborn could turn around and punch the man's lights out, Lal shoved him in the back so that the elder fell forwards and ran into Tsuna, who ended up stepping on Colonello's foot. Through an extremely complicated and delicate game of twisting, turning and rearrangement, they all piled into the low-ceilinged room. The light cast by the torches revealed several rows of bookshelves lined up against the wall housing faded old books that were falling apart at the spine. At the very end of the room, there was a table with a clear inch of dust piled up on it, and a very, very old scroll placed reverently on the wood. Fon swiped his sleeve over the dirt and gingerly picked up the roll. Around the room, Colonello and Mukuro, who had been carrying torches, located the candles in the room and were slowly lighting everything up. Cramped together in the cold underground room, everybody did their best for form some kind of demented circle around Fon, who was carefully inspecting the object in his hands.

The Chinese man carefully blew the dust off the scroll, which rose up in little puffs, before unraveling the document with the utmost care. The parchment looked as funny as it smelled; like wooden musk and rainwater. The paper was so thin that Tsuna could see right through it because of the light the candle gave off, and he saw that the words written on the scroll was—no surprise—a mass of Chinese characters. It frustrated him to no end that everyone, except maybe Mukuro, could read and understand it. As much as Tsuna wanted to help, it was near impossible when he didn't know what the hell was going on.

Fortunately, Fon was reading everything out loud in plain English with everybody listening in intently.

"This is an excerpt from a letter written by the temple's first founder…" Fon murmured, squinting at the tangled characters on the scroll. "Darkness and light are essential to this world; Over and Under Worlds will cross many times in the years to come. Inbetween their fray the humans will be caught, for the humans were the sacrifices made for the existence of time, hence death and rebirth. The Overking grows weak with impurity while the Underworld thrives upon it. There will be the day where the King of Hell and the Leader of Heaven will cease to exist; and that is the day when humans and demons will live in harmony. Have faith, descendants, for the end is not as hopeless as you think. Written in the prophecy of time is the story of a human who will give their life up to protect life, the overtaking of the Overking and the destruction of the Underworld. Six will venture out and six will summon the Leader of Heaven, who can only be called once the four corners of the earth are brought together and those seeking his help have passed the final test. Fair is foul and foul is fair; hover through fog and filthy air. Should you fail, the world will succumb to the dark beings and all human life will be extinguished… but believe in yourselves and your friends until the day the world falls down, and perhaps, peace will be achieved once more."

Silence.

"Well, that was a helpful ton of bullshit," Verde sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "What do we do now?"

"For a scientist and a professor, you're pretty dumb," Lal commented blatantly. "Didn't you listen? Over and Under Worlds will cross many times, a human will sacrifice themselves to save the general meaning of life, and six people will go and retrieve the four corners of the earth. It's practically spelling out all the strife between the demons and demon hunters, Luce's sacrifice, and us, her students, finding the four elements that will help us summon the Overking for help."

"And where, pray tell, will we find the four elements?" Verde shot back.

Lal bit her lip, annoyed. "Who knows? That's what we're here to figure out, right?"

"Great. Planning it out as go along. Everybody knows how well that always goes." Verde rolled his eyes, glaring.

"Uhm, I don't mean to interrupt," Tsuna put in meekly, "but what's the sacrifice Luce made…?"

Everyone exchanged looks. There was a heavy silence that made the brunette twitch, but he didn't want to be left in the dark. He hated not understanding anything and being surprised at the last second, much like the time Alaude revealed to him that Reborn had killed Giotto and never told him about it.

"Luce was a High Spirit from the Overking's court," Reborn reminded Tsuna simply. "After she chose six followers and had left the task of bearing the duty of protecting the world, she gave up her life during one of the fiercest battles between hunters and demons to create a shield that would keep human life intact for many years. Humans would be able to live and thrive, not just remain as game for demons to hunt and devour. Without the human's natural circle of life, the earth would die."

"But nothing lasts forever, kora," Colonello cut in. "This metaphoric sort of shield is giving away to the Underworld because of the human's impurity. They're destroying the earth for resources and for their own entertainment and impluses. And with that dark feeling, the King of Hell is getting stronger, and he's targeting the weakest places in the shield."

"Hence, the fight in London," Reborn added.

"Part of Sweden was leveled, Italy was ambushed, and some of the southern European countries are on the verge of breaking down," Lal said. "And don't even get me started on the North American continents."

"An all-out war against the King of Hell himself is inevitable," Fon said softly. "And it's nearing. We need to find the four elements and the Overking to regain balance."

"But you just said that the Overking and the King of Hell would both die if the light side won the war," Tsuna stuttered, confused.

"Nothing can last forever, Tsuna," Reborn replied. "Not even the gods." Suddenly, the brunette felt a painful jab in his heart at those words. _Nothing can last forever_. It wasn't the time to think about it, but he couldn't help but wonder about his relationship with Reborn. It hurt to think into a future where war was looming over the horizon.

"Where would we find the elements?" Mukuro asked, jolting Tsuna out of his thoughts.

"The guardians," Verde put in. "There are guardians that protect each element. We'll have to find them and ask them for an offering."

"There's an old tale that depicts it," Lal said. "A very old folklore. We studied it when we were kids."

"The Rabbit, Huntsman, and the Maiden on the Moon?" Colonello asked, confused, and Lal smacked him on the head.

"Not _that_ one, you idiot, it's the story about the four mythical creatures that passed the Overking's test and was given great power and great responsibility to control an element!"

"Oh."

"Anyway," Reborn continued, rolling his eyes. "All the spirits, good and evil, were tested by the Overking. According to the story, he chose the four most appropriate bearers and bestowed upon them the four elements. Poseidon, Greek God of the Sea, took control of Water, the Phoenix of Heliopolis was given Fire, Gaea, mother of nature, took Earth, and the Roc, a monstrous bird, was given the element of Air."

"And if we approach them, we'll be able to acquire these elements?" Mukuro asked.

"Hopefully," Fon replied. "Chances are, we'll be tested for our worthiness. The guardians do not simply hand out blessings like candy."

"Where are we going to find them?" Tsuna asked, worried.

"I suggest we start with Poseidon," Verde grunted. "_Greek_ God of the sea pretty much gives away where he might be residing."

Everybody nodded in agreement. "So, Greece it is?" Fon asked to general nodding heads. "Fair enough. I suggest that we leave as soon as possible. There's not much time to waste."

Everyone made noises of agreement, but suddenly Colonello blurted out, "Can't we wait a bit?"

Reborn turned to him with an incredulous look and asked, "'Wait a bit'? There's a war that could potentially wipe out the entire race of mankind resting on our shoulders, and you're asking us to _wait_? Are you actually as stupid as you look?"

"I'm serious!" Colonello argued, suddenly defensive. "Can't it—?"

"Colonello!" Lal interrupted sharply, glaring at her husband. "Drop it!"

Colonello bit his lip, looking irritated, but he didn't say anything else. An awkward silence dropped over the group standing cramped in the underground room. Then, Fon cleared his throat and said, "Leaving tomorrow morning would be a good idea. Is anyone against it?"

Colonello looked as though he might object again, but a fierce glare from Lal seemed to be keeping him at bay. Nobody else said anything.

"Then it's settled," Fon said, rolling the scroll back together. "We leave at dawn. There's a portal down in the forest that we'll take, it should bring us to the northern part of China before we cross over Russia."

"Wonderful," Reborn grumbled under his breath. Silently, all the hunters filed out the underground room, following the path that twisted and turned until they all exited from the dreary underground and back into the dining hall. It was almost midnight, and the moon's shine was streaming through the glass at the top of the temple. Verde swept past the group without bidding them goodnight and vanished into the darkness. Mukuro shrugged at Tsuna, and he, too, left without another word. Colonello and Lal had disappeared down the hall long ago, arguing quietly. Fon sighed, tugging at his sleeves and inclining his head at Reborn and Tsuna before heading off to bed. The two stood by themselves in the empty hall, listening to one of the doors close with a gravelly _boom_.

"That was a nice chat," Reborn said sarcastically, fixing the shirt Fon had bestowed upon him, saying that the underground was too chilly for the hunter to go down half-naked. Tsuna made a noise of agreement, staring absent-mindedly at the vacant dining area. They would be leaving first thing in the morning and say goodbye to the two days of relaxation at the temple. And there would be no guarantee that any of them would come back alive.

Why did it always have to be like this? Why did he always have to face the inevitable? Why did his friends have to literally walk into their deaths?

"Tsuna? Are you coming or not?"

The brunette jumped and turned to see Reborn giving him a curious stare, already heading towards the stairs that led up to their rooms. His heart clenched painfully. Why did _Reborn_ have to risk his life? Some things just can't be answered, and it frustrated Tsuna to face that fact.

"Yes, I'm coming," he whispered, hurrying over, fighting back the telltale prickles of tears in his eyes. But perhaps Reborn was more knowledgeable than Tsuna originally thought, or maybe he was just easy to read, but when the teen approached the elder, the hunter took the younger's hand and leaned in once more to kiss him in a soothing, reassuring manner that managed to place Tsuna's doubts at rest, if only until the morning.

It was the calm before the storm.

* * *

><p>When dawn came, Tsuna believed that everyone would have liked to say that they had gotten a good night's rest, packed everything up, and was prepared to take on this daunting journey with courage, fearlessness, and bravery.<p>

Truth was, judging from the bags under everyone's eyes, nobody slept a wink. Reborn had been sitting up in the chair all night, smoking his cigarette, and Tsuna had been tactful enough to pretend that he was asleep on the bed while his boyfriend remained lost in thought. Colonello and Lal were standing a little apart from each other, both looking irritated and frustrated, not even hiding the obvious fact that they had been arguing. Verde had been the noisiest out of the bunch; everybody could hear him cussing back and forth as he went through his things in the middle of the night. Mukuro had managed to heal his foot at the price of no sleep, and Fon, ever the mother hen, had stayed up as well to fix the travel packs they would need for whatever climate they would have to face.

They were well up before the sun actually rose, so the atmosphere in the dining hall was no different from when they had left the night before. Today, nobody was dressed casually in work clothes or casual wear. Slacks and light shirts had been replaced with camouflage pants or lightweight armor plates, and various weapons were strewn about. Lal and Colonello, being military people, donned larger weapons while Fon, a martial artist, carried virtually nothing other than a short dagger on him for back up. Tsuna pulled nervously at his mittens. The setting was quite tense.

"Tents," Fon said, tossing a pack to Reborn, Colonello, and Verde. "It's small, but enough for you guys to double up. I found the two-way mirrors yesterday afternoon; take one with you. Unless it's broken, you should be able to contact anybody if you're in trouble."

The two-way mirrors were the size of Tsuna's palm; circular and smooth. For a moment, the brunette could see his own pale face reflected against the surface, but then, the image rippled like the glass was water and he could see, very vaguely, the appearance of Mukuro in the mirror placed over his face. A second later, it changed into Verde, and then, Lal.

"Whoa," Tsuna said in awe, watching as Lal transformed into Colonello. "That's amazing."

"Never know when you'll need it," Fon smiled. "Keep it close, and you'll be able to find any of us."

Everybody pocketed theirs and grabbed the packs holding the tents; a heavy silence looming over them. This was it; they were leaving the safety of the temple with the fate of the world literally resting on their shoulders. It was a pretty weighty burden. Tsuna didn't even want to _imagine_ what the world would be like if they failed.

"Should you wake the monks? Tell them to watch this place before we leave?" Lal asked Fon, who shrugged.

"It's okay, they know what to do."

"What if demons attacked the temple while we're gone?" Tsuna asked worriedly. Fon actually chuckled at that statement, giving the teen a knowing smile.

"They are monks employed indirectly under the Overking through me. Never underestimate a monk, and never _ever _allow them access of an eight hundred year old vat of wine. The results won't end well."

Fon grimaced, and Reborn and Colonello snorted in unison. With those interesting memories in mind, the group exited the temple and allowed the heavy doors to swing shut with a heavy _thud_ before making their way down the stone stairs, through the path in the forest, wade through the cold stream, and disappear into the second part of woodland behind the mountain. Without the sun, the thickets were shadowy and fearsome, and the original beauty Tsuna had associated them with melted away at the sight of the darkness nearly painted over the branches and trunks. They were going in a different way than the one Tsuna and Reborn had come from, to a portal that was apparently located much further into the woods. There was the occasional gleam of blueish-white from within the trees, indicating more gateways that bound time and space, but none of them were of Fon's choosing until they arrived at a portal hanging under a particularly tall oak tree.

"Here we are," the Chinese man said softly, looking up at the tree. "It's this one."

"Where's it leading to?" Verde asked, touching the trunk.

"East Mongolia. That's the furthest we can jump for now," Fon replied, and that was when Tsuna felt it.

Something was coming fast their way, and it was not a friendly presence.

Tsuna immediately flared up, his half-demon side taking over. The fuzzy woolen mittens melted into hard, metal plated gloves and chocolate brown eyes were suddenly burning orange. Reborn caught sight of the change at once, and went for his gun instantly.

"Whoa, whoa, what's going on?" Colonello cut in, eyes narrowed.

"I sense something," Tsuna warned, his gaze darting through the tree, senses heightened by his demon side. "It's coming fast!"

"Shit, they caught on already?" Verde cussed angrily.

"Get through the portal now!" Fon said. "Demons can't pass through them!"

"I'm going in first," Lal growled, unlocking the safety on her shotgun. "If the demons are catching up to us the minute we leave the temple, there's no guarantee that they're not waiting for us on the other side. Don't come in until I give you the clear!"

Colonello did not look happy at that, but Lal had already vanished into the glowing white circle. There was a nerve-wracking moment where the remaining group kept a wary eye out for any sign of movement amongst the dark trees, and then, Lal's hand shot out from the portal and she held her palm open, moving it up and down swiftly.

"Clear!" Colonello interpreted at once, and swiftly, as though they had been practicing for all their lives, the remaining disciples disappeared quickly through the portal one after another. There was no pushing or any accidental steps on anyone's feet. It astounded Tsuna to see the level of teamwork between them. It was like they could read each other's minds. After Mukuro vanished into the white, Reborn nudged Tsuna in, and followed closely. The other six were spread out already. Lal, the furthest ahead, beckoned them forward with a wave of her hand, and everyone was moving forwards at once.

The next week or so was not fun. They had arrived back into cold weather territory again, and were immediately pegged by demons chasing after them. There were a few close calls, though nobody had succumbed to some life-threatening injury yet. How the demons somehow knew where they were, nobody could tell, but fortunately, Tsuna's intuition had managed to save them several times from walking right into a trap. About seven days later, the group had arrived, or in Tsuna and Reborn's case, gone back to the country of Russia, wading through thick snow and wandering through woodland with their heads bowed against the biting wind. It was a painful and tormenting part of their journey, so when Verde spotted a small village not unlike the one Reborn and Tsuna had taken refuge in through a snowstorm, everyone agreed to take a rest there.

The villagers were quieter and much less active, but perhaps that was due to the weather. The tiny inn had only a dozen or so rooms, all small and basically furnished. The innkeeper was a withered old man who was hard of hearing in one ear and completely deaf in the other, so Mukuro, being the doctor, managed to use sign language to request two rooms. Money was a scarce thing.

This was how Tsuna, Reborn and Fon were cramped into one tiny room with one bed, their bags strewn about on the carpeted floor and slumped over the chair and bed in dead exhaustion.

"When was the last time I actually left home?" Fon grumbled, stretching out his legs.

"You were always the faithful son," Reborn mocked, resting his head on Tsuna's lap as the teen leaned against the headboard, running his fingers through his older lover's dark hair. Fon snorted and tugged his boots off.

"You make me sound like a nerd."

"Far from it," Reborn snickered. "You were always the insufferable, moody prick of the group. And you always acted so rashly too. Do you still have that tattoo?"

Fon flushed a little, standing up to walk into the bathroom. "That was just my rebellious phase. Stop bringing it up all the time. Besides, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't have gotten it."

"If you insist," Reborn replied, and Fon slammed the door behind him. A moment later, they heard the water running. Tsuna smiled and nudged Reborn's head off his lap gently, making the older man protest and reach for the teen's legs. "Stop moving around, Tsuna."

"I'm going to get firewood, silly," Tsuna prodded, sliding off the bed and picking up his parka. There were still a few bloodstains stuck on the red, but the teen shrugged it off and pulled his coat on. Reborn sat up, frowning. "You don't have to. We're not staying long anyway."

"It'll be warmer," Tsuna insisted. "I'll be back in a second." His heart warmed at the expression on Reborn's face, which was no unlike the one Colonello often had whenever Lal did something dangerous or excessive, but the elder didn't stop the brunette as the teen opened the door and ducked out into the whirling snow. The innkeeper had signed to them that there was chopped firewood kept in the stables where the horses stayed, and the stable was located a little ways away from the inn, near the outskirts of the forest. Battling through a momentary gust of wind, Tsuna wrenched the barred doors open and ducked gratefully under the roof. It smelled of manure, hay, and wet fur inside of the shed, but there were only three horses resting in there. All three of them were asleep, their massive chests expanding with each breath they took. Stacked near the back, next to a giant chestnut coloured horse was the firewood. Tsuna hurried over, picking up the pieces from the top the pile. The texture of the wood was rough, and though he wasn't unprepared, Tsuna couldn't help but make a small noise of discomfort when a splinter poked into his thumb through his woolly mittens.

"That's a highly impractical wear, mister."

Tsuna stiffened in shock, not at all expecting the quiet voice to sound from behind one of the closest horses. Instinctively, he turned into his half-demon self, rounding on the speaker, only to find himself face to face with a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, bundled up in a thick black coat, knee-length boots and a strange hat pulled low over his aqua green hair. Under his teal coloured eyes, the boy had two strange tattoos of triangles marked in his pale skin, almost making look as though he was crying. Tsuna stared. The kid stared back.

Was that a _frog_ hat?

"That's cool, mister. I've never seen anybody with orange eyes before," the boy said monotonously, his English slightly accented and his gaze uncomfortably steady on Tsuna.

"Uh…thanks?" Tsuna replied, wondering why this boy was here.

"Are you looking for firewood?"

"Uhm…yes," Tsuna answered oh-so-intelligently.

"Here," the boy said lightly, walking over behind the horse and pulling up an old bag, worn through at the corners but still useful in carrying the wood.

"Thanks," Tsuna said, tipping the wood in as the boy opened the bag.

"What are you doing so far north, mister?" the other asked, watching Tsuna go through the pile. "We hardly ever see any game in the forest, let alone get seven visitors in one day."

"We're just…passing through," Tsuna answered skittishly, diminishing his demon powers. Something told him that this boy wasn't a threat, but it was all very…odd. What was he doing here in this stable in the middle of the snowstorm anyway? And how did he know Tsuna spoke English?

"Nice trip so far?" the boy asked again.

"Cold weather," Tsuna grunted in reply, dropping the last log in. "That's it, thanks for your help, uh…"

"Fran," the boy replied, tying the sack shut. "I'm the landlord's godson."

"Oh, well, thanks, Fran," Tsuna replied. "I'll see you around, then."

The boy did not reply; his attention seemed to have been redirected towards the sleeping horse, and the brunette watched as the aqua-haired kid walked over to inspect the sleeping animal before taking his cue to start walking out of the stable. However, Fran's voice stopped Tsuna in his tracks once more.

"The concept of forever is a fleeting thing, Tsunayoshi. And the fates will not be favouring you when it comes to your future with Reborn."

Tsuna spun around, the bag falling to the floor with a _thud_, but the stables were empty. The horses were still fast asleep, and there was no sign of anybody staying in the shed.

Feeling his blood freeze in his veins, Tsuna turned and ran all the way back to his room, the unexplainable events making his stomach turn over painfully.

* * *

><p>I'm reading Shakespeare's <em>Macbeth<em> for English class, and I must say, after two years of romantic bullshit like _Midsummer Night's Dream _and _Romeo and Juliet_, I really appreciate the damn blood and evil in this play. I even included a line from one of the Acts :D I'm a bit violent, aren't I?

And I know this chapter ended funny, but no worries, it'll be explained in due time (Chapter Five). I was watching a series of award winning stop-motion videos while writing this and it had a very profound effect on my brain. People have got to stop making such awesome art; I can't handle it.

In any case; thank you all for reading! I enjoyed all the feedback, it gave me such a boost while writing :'3 I promise Chapter Five won't be long~

-BlackStar


	5. Chapter 5

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

Thank you for all the encouraging comments you all submitted –bows- I promise to work hard! This is Chapter Five~ Also, happy birthday (in order) to Kugi, Rya, Nixon, Mama, Janet, Winnie, Jessica, and Zara! :'D

**Also, iXheartXrecX75:** Hurray for Macbeth moments! (=´∀｀)人(´∀｀=)

Song of the day: _The Best of Jazzin' for Ghibli;_ DJ SLY - いのちの名前 (The Name of Life) Spirited Away

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Five<p>

_The fire crackled in the hearth, small, but warm on the two males sitting side by side on the couch. The living room was dark and the curtains were drawn, but it was a comfortable, cozy atmosphere. A tall, handsome young man of about eighteen with sky blue eyes and spikey blonde hair was reading a gigantic book titled "A Study of Mythological Plants and their Properties", completely immersed, sipping a glass Bordeaux with a shot of Mandrake juice mixed in. Fast asleep, with his head resting on the blonde's lap was a boy of about thirteen years old. He looked very similar to the elder; their faces were the same shape and their noses curved identically. The only differences were their age, hair colour and, when the boy rolled over and yawned, eye colour. Brown orbs looked up into studious blue ones, blurry with sleep._

"_Giotto? Are you still up?"_

_Giotto smiled, looking down at the younger. "Yes, I am. Go back to sleep, Tsunayoshi."_

_Tsuna mumbled something, rubbing his eyes. "Whatcha reading?"_

"_This?" Giotto asked, tilting the book over. "Nothing, it's just for work."_

_Tsuna frowned, looking upset at once. "Are you going back to England already? I thought you'd stay a little longer. Its parents day at my school soon…you promised you'd come! I don't want the kids to tease me for Mamma and Papà not…being there anymore." The brown eyes immediately started to water, and the blonde's guilty conscience won over at once._

"_I know," Giotto pacified, ruffling his brother's hair. "I'm sorry, Tsuna, I'll be back by then, I promise."_

"_Okay," Tsuna yawned again. "Signora Cialini says she wants to see you again."_

_Giotto laughed weakly at that, thinking about his brother's flirty teacher and how the preteen was hopelessly oblivious to the teacher's attraction to the blonde. "I see…well, if I don't come back quickly enough, do tell her I give her my greetings."_

"_Mhnnnm," Tsuna muttered, already half asleep. "Mou, Gio?"_

"_What is it?" the elder asked, fingering the package of cigarettes on the coffee table. He never smoked in his younger brother's presence though. It just wasn't right._

"_Are you going to England to see…uhh…Signore Reborn and Signore Shimon?"_

"_Yes," Giotto smiled. "I work with Reborn and Cozart, remember?"_

"_I don't like it," Tsuna muttered, arms flopping around tiredly. "They hog you all the time; you hardly come home anymore."_

"_I'm sorry, Tsuna," Giotto apologized softly; smile saddening at the fact that his younger brother did not realize what was being sacrificed to keep him safe. "I promise I'll be back soon this time, okay?"_

_Tsuna cracked open an eye. "Promise?" he whispered._

"_Promise," Giotto replied, hooking pinkies together. Tsuna blinked, and then smiled too._

"_Grazie, Giotto."_

* * *

><p>Tsuna opened his eyes. His breathing was quick and labored, as though he'd been running for a very long time. The dream was already fading away from him even as his conscience tried desperately to cling on to the memory of his older brother; it had been ages since he dreamed of Giotto. The room was dark, the wind was howling wildly outside, and the brunette was only dimly aware of Reborn breathing quietly next to him, an arm draped over the teen's waist and their legs tangled together. Somewhere else in the room, Fon was also asleep, on the floor, snoring softly. Tsuna squinted, turning his head over to one side, wondering what the cause of his sudden return to reality was.<p>

A pair of large, glowing aqua eyes stared back at him in the dark, inches from his face.

"FUCKING HELL!" Tsuna screamed, jumping up so fast he accidentally shoved Reborn backwards off the already small bed and onto Fon, who was sleeping on the floor right under them. Without thinking, Tsuna went into half-demon mode instantly, even without his gloves on, and tackled the eyes. There was a violent yell, a scuffle, and Reborn was bellowing, "Tsuna!" before Fon found the lamp and smacked the light on.

The messy room was thrown into sharp relief; the blanket was strewn over the floor, Fon and Reborn were in various states of distress and surprise, and Tsuna had the young boy with the frog hat in a vicious chokehold. The boy flailed his arms, gasping for air. Tsuna stared, gasped, and let up at once.

"Fran!"

"You _know_ him?" Reborn and Fon asked incredulously, staring.

"I—sort of, it's really hard to explain," Tsuna stammered, diminishing is demon energy at once. For a moment, the world swam; he wasn't used to transforming so fast, or without his gloves. The mittens acted as medium for him to control his power instead of wielding it raw. Reborn's hand was resting against Tsuna's back at once, and the brunette exhaled, comforted by the familiar hold. It was almost as though he'd reverted back to his old ways; getting drunk on his power and giving his demon complete control of his body.

"I'm here to deliver a warning," Fran said softly, straightening his hat.

"Wait a second," Tsuna interrupted. "Why'd you run out on me like that earlier? How did you disappear from the stable?"

Fran pressed his lips together. "I had to leave. The forces compelled me to."

"What forces?" Fon asked.

"The Whispers," Fran replied simply, even though his answer was far from simple. "I was being called away, so away I went."

"Why are you talking in circles?" Tsuna pleaded. He was more scared of Fran's appearance than he'd cared to admit. The kid had told him that he and Reborn wouldn't make it together less than eight hours ago. How did he know? Why was the boy here now?

"You're a shaman," Reborn said suddenly, making Tsuna and Fon stare.

"Right you are, mister," Fran said monotonously. "A shaman sees and tells but doesn't always tell what they see."

"Are all shamans so…tricky?" Fon asked, eyebrow twitching.

"They speak in riddles half the time and bring you bad news during the other half," Reborn growled. Fran actually huffed a little, staring up at the hunter with his unyielding eyes.

"I'm still human, mister. I can get upset too."

"You're doing a wonderful job of showing it," Fon replied dryly.

"What are you here for, Fran?" Tsuna asked quietly, heart pounding. The boy turned his alluring eyes on the teen, hesitating for only a split second before answering, "It's not about what we spoke of earlier. Like I said before, I'm here to deliver a warning. Against the will of those who tell me things, mind you. And if my sources don't want to let you know what's going to happen, you know it's real. I can guarantee it's the truth."

"'Those who tell you'?" Tsuna repeated.

"The Whispers," Reborn put in. "The supernatural forces shamans converse with for information."

"Correct," Fran interrupted. "And I've just heard that there's a group of two dozen demons crashing their way through the forest at this very moment, with a new foe that's beyond any of your abilities. And they're coming for you. _All_ of you."

Tsuna's heart stopped for a split second. Fon and Reborn both paled. For a moment, nobody moved. Fran stared at them, and then, unexpectedly shouted, "What are you waiting for? _RUN!_"

Nobody hesitated for a second longer. Fon spun around and grabbed their coats, tossing them over to the other hunters while Reborn grabbed his weapons and Tsuna pulled his gloves on, allowing the powerful dark energy to wash over him. Transformed, he turned to Fran and grabbed the boy's arm. "What are you going to do?"

Fran lips twitched humorously. "I can handle myself, Tsunayoshi. Find your comrades, and flee this forest as fast as you can, or your journey will end here. I am going to find my godfather."

Biting his lip, Tsuna nodded. "Thank you, Fran," he said quietly. "Take care." Tsuna grabbed his rucksack and ran for the door, throwing it open. Reborn and Fon followed quickly, launching themselves into the blowing snow. It was nearly impossible to see, and the three only located the other's room by groping like blind men along the side of the inn's walls. The courtyard was lost in the blizzard, making Tsuna wonder how they were going to find their way out of the village, let alone the forest. Fon touched the door handle, stepped back, and in one swift movement, kicked the door down with nearly no effort. There were shouts as Verde, sleeping in the chair closest to the door, jumped to his feet with his gun in hand, but Fon grabbed the green haired man's hand and forced the weapon down so they wouldn't get shot.

"Get up!" Reborn bellowed. "We have to leave now! There are demons coming!"

There was shocked silence, but nobody needed to be told twice. Furniture and blankets were thrown aside as Lal, Colonello, Mukuro and Verde threw on their coats and weapons. Snow billowed through the doorway, making the busted door swing weakly on its hinges.

"Where are we going to go?" Mukuro shouted.

"There's a portal located down by the river. It's about one kilometer down the hills, East of the village," Fon said. "It's not the one I was planning to take, but that portal will be too far away. We'll be caught if we don't hurry!"

The wind howled, but his time, Tsuna heard something else in the blizzard. But something was off; it sounded suspiciously like the sound of giant, beating wings.

"Something's coming!" Tsuna warned, but nobody could have prepared for the first attack launched instantly upon the hunters.

The sky glowed, unnaturally bright in the darkness of night, and before anybody could react, a huge ball of fire descended down upon the rooftop of the inn, where the old wood was devoured at once. There was a terrible creaking noise as the ceiling of the room shuddered, and Colonello yelled, "It's going to cave!"

"Get out!" Reborn shouted, grabbing Tsuna by the collar and throwing him out of the room, headfirst into the snow. The hunters scrambled for the doorway, and not a moment too late. The old roof groaned madly and creaked once more before sinking heavily into the room, which triggered the rest of the hotel to being its collapse. Tsuna spat slush out of his mouth and spun around wildly; where was Fran?

"Look out!" Lal screamed, and something in the sky moved.

It was a dragon. The beast was huge, nearly eighteen feet in length and covered with rusty red scales. Its eyes were giant, yellowed orbs with slits as pupils; scaly wings protruded from its back and giant clawed hands scrabbled at the wooden roofs, smashing everything apart with a simple wave of its limbs. The hunters could only stare in horror and awe at the legendary mythological beast that few have seen and even fewer have survived.

It was definitely an ominous fact.

"Split up! NOW!" Verde shouted, and everybody scrambled for cover as the dragon opened its maw wide and bellowed out flames that melted two solid feet of snow and blew up the last portion of the rooms.

Tsuna stumbled back into the snow, falling backwards. His hand touched something strange, and Tsuna looked down, confused. In the darkness, he could barely make out the sight of a frog hat, lying all alone on the ground, smears of blood staining the dark fabric and the snow around it. Tsuna paled. He spun around, staring between the trees and the ruins of the inn. Where was Fran? A sudden creak sounded behind him, and the teen barely had a second too look up before he had to fling himself sideways to avoid getting crushed by a falling beam. The hat vanished beneath the burning wood, engulfed by the flames. Tsuna felt his stomach turn over as he pushed himself away from the fire, finding himself next to Lal a second later.

"On your feet, Sawada," the woman grunted, hoisting the teen up with little effort. She coughed a little, shaking snow out of her hair, but then turned to the brunette with a blazing look in her eye.

"On the count of three, split up and run towards the woods. I'll catch up with you; there's no way we can take this thing down. It's too old and too powerful."

"But," Tsuna whispered, guilt clawing at his insides. Where was the boy that had saved them from this attack? Why didn't Tsuna pull Fran out with them…? His gaze shifted in and out of focus momentarily before focusing on Lal again, and upon seeing her waiting impatiently for his affirmation, Tsuna nodded.

"Yes," he answered, and Lal reached up to pull her goggles down over her eyes. The dragon roared and clawed at the buildings, squinting through the blazing fire for its prey. Somewhere in the back, the shrill cries of the demons could be heard.

"GO!" Lal shouted, and Tsuna bolted for the end of the courtyard, slipping on the melted snow and re-freezing ice. Fire blazed over him and the teen knew that the dragon had caught on to his movements, but his demonized sense told him exactly when to roll, duck, and leap to avoid the onslaught of fire. There was one extremely close moment where he tripped on the snow and the flames shot by his side, scorching his hair, but Colonello's arm appeared from nowhere and tossed Tsuna to one side and into the snow.

"Watch yourself, kora!"

Tsuna scrambled upright just as Colonello lifted his rifle and shot at the dragon's head. He could see bullets bouncing off the thick scales, but it was effectively confusing the monster because Reborn, Verde, and Mukuro were also shooting at it as they ducked and dodged through the burning courtyard.

"Tsuna!" Fon shouted, waving the brunette over. "This way!"

The teen scrambled to comply, sliding down a small portion of the hill. Lal appeared moments later, holding both her and Colonello's bags and one of the tents. "Down by the river," Fon panted, pointing. "Don't look back!"

Lal nodded mutely and Tsuna hurried after her. He could see very well because the dragon's flames had managed to burn the tops to the trees as well; a forest fire was going to start soon if they didn't manage to escape in time. The demons were nearly upon them, and Tsuna could see the shadowy outline whipping through the trees. He sped up his pace, darting in and out of the darkness with Lal as they hurried to their destination. The dragon's roars echoed in the night as the forest lit up with fire, the orange and red painting the night sky with colours the darkness had never seen before.

"There!" Lal shouted, quickening her pace. Tsuna also spotted the glowing portal between the trees. He could also hear the sound of running water, which meant that they had found the right one.

"Be on your guard," Lal called out. "We could be ambushed on the other side!"

"I know!" Tsuna shouted back, and together, the two hunters leapt through the white circle, tumbling onto soggy dirt and leaves on the other side after a haze of white and disorientation. The air was oddly quiet, and it was very, very dark. The only source of light available was the portal's natural glow, which threw dark shadows over them, elongated against the thick tree trunks.

"Where are we?" Tsuna whispered, standing up. "Lal?"

Silence.

Tsuna turned, confused, and to his horror, saw Lal doubled up on the ground, wheezing painfully. "Lal!" he cried, hurrying over. The woman attempted to push Tsuna away, but was too weak to do so. The brunette slung one of Lal's arms over his shoulder and pulled her away from the portal, leaning her against one of the trees. Lal coughed, her body shaking with spasms, and her lips were deathly white.

"Lal? Are you okay?" Tsuna asked, staring helplessly. The navy haired woman opened her eyes and glowered at him, but nonetheless choked out a reply, "I am fine, Sawada…watch the area. I only need a moment's rest."

The 'moment's rest' stretched into a minute, then five, and five into ten, and after fifteen minutes Lal was still breathless against the tree, looking ill and drained. Tsuna prayed desperately for the others to arrive sooner. Twenty minutes later, Verde stumbled through the portal, supporting a limping Mukuro, who was closely followed by Fon, Colonello, and Reborn, all slightly burnt but relatively unharmed.

"Tsuna! Lal!"

"Over here!" Tsuna shouted, relief washing over him at once. "Colonello! Come quick! There's something wrong with Lal!"

The blonde was at his side in an instant, terror written all over his face, and he was kneeling next to his wife at once, holding her gently against his chest and placing his palm flat against her forehead, checking for temperature.

Fon rummaged through their bags and managed to pull out an old, wind-up flashlight, which gave them a little bit of light in the darkness of the forest. Lal pushed weakly against Colonello, trying to sit up by herself.

"I'm fine, Colonello, just give me a break!"

"You said you were fine twenty minutes ago," Tsuna cut in. "You look worse than before."

Lal gave him a dirty look, and Colonello hugged her in tightly. "Lal, what's going on, kora? Won't you please tell me why you're sick?"

"Colonello's right," Verde grunted. "We can't have one of us dying on the mission."

"I'm not going to die!" Lal shouted, and coughed again.

"Lal," Fon said quietly, almost pleadingly, and Colonello buried his face into her hair, whispering something that made the female hunter smack him weakly in the arm. Everyone watched expectantly, and a moment later, Lal sighed, grumbling as she looked up at her comrades.

"Fine. I'll tell you what's up. The truth is…"

A pause, and if Colonello could look any more stressed out, he might've burst a vein or two.

"…I was attacked by an offspring of a _Hydra_ some time ago, before we made it back to China. It was during the time Colonello and I were hunting in Romania, and we split up by accident. I inhaled a lot of its poisonous fumes, but it wasn't a full breed so I wasn't affected as badly. I took the precautions and made an antidote, but it wasn't strong enough. I'm just waiting for the effects to clear out of my system manually now. That's why I've been getting sick, getting tired, and losing my breath."

"Why on earth didn't you tell me?" Colonello shouted, sounding relieved and upset at the same time. "Lal! I thought we've been through this!"

"I can handle myself!" Lal retorted. "I won't let my physical condition hinder this case!"

"Stupid," Colonello grumbled, throwing his arms around his wife and hugging her close again. "Don't scare me like that."

Lal rolled her eyes, but she placed a tentative hand on Colonello's arm as well.

"Well, thank the gods it not life-threatening," Fon sighed, looking relieved. "Get well soon, Lal."

"Thank the gods it's _only_ Hydra poisoning," Verde grunted. "I was fully prepared for something else."

"What do you mean?" Colonello asked, frowning. Mukuro coughed dryly, Reborn smirked and even Verde couldn't help but grin evilly. Tsuna and Fon had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Wait a second; you didn't think I was…" Lal trailed off, and then her jaw dropped and her face coloured, furious. "You assholes thought I was pregnant!"

"What?" Colonello shouted, turning an impressive shade of red before rounding on the others. "You guys, I can't believe how dirty minded you are, kora!"

"Speak for yourself," Verde retorted. "Don't tell me you two haven't had sex since you got married!"

"That's none of your business!" Lal yelled back, but she couldn't hide the darkening blush flooding her face.

"I thought so," Verde snickered. Colonello looked murderous, but he didn't deny anything either.

"Go to hell, Verde."

"Been there and back," the scientist shrugged. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, frankly; we all know you've been doing it since before you two tied the knot."

"Stick it up your ass," Colonello sneered. "For a crybaby, you've got quite the big mouth."

Verde flared up at once. "Says the snot-nosed, bumbling idiot of the group!"

"You're the oldest out of all of us, but you cried over every little thing!"

"You're the one who knocked out your own front teeth tripping over the stairs!"

"You cried when Reborn ate the last cookie!"

"I remember that," Reborn snickered. "Good times, Verde."

"I was fucking seven, Reborn, and shut the hell up!"

"Guys!" Fon shouted, and everybody quieted down at once. "Alright," the martial artist said, crossing his arms. "Everybody's okay, except for Mukuro, who managed to split open his stitches again, so I'm going to help him out with his foot while the rest of you are going to set up the tents. We only managed to save two tents, so we'll need to take shifts sleeping in them. Are we good?"

There were murmurs of agreement, and everybody trudged back to work. The first tent they set up went to Lal by default, who was furious at them for attempting to treat her delicately, but she grudgingly agreed to sleep after he fatigue took over. Mukuro also got one of the tents, but that was by default too, because his foot was almost falling off again. Fon ducked under the flap with a bowl of water he'd risked back from the river on the other side of the portal while Verde crouched at the mouth of the tent, flashlight held aloft. This left Tsuna and Reborn sitting by the trees, taking the first watch of the remainder of the night.

Tsuna curled up next to Reborn' side, exhausted, but soothed by the arm that wrapped around him and pulled him closer to his boyfriend's side. "You hurt anywhere?" Reborn asked quietly, resting his chin on Tsuna's fluffy hair.

"No," the teen replied softly, reaching for Reborn's other hand. "My hair caught fire for a second though. I wonder if I'm bald on one side."

Reborn suppressed a snort with difficulty, but the momentary tensing of muscles told Tsuna that he was worried. "It'll be okay, I think you need a haircut anyway."

"No way," the brunette yawned. "Don't wanna."

"Hnn," Reborn said, rubbing Tsuna's back affectionately. "Sleep, idiot. I'll stay up."

Tsuna wanted to argue, but at the moment, his eyelids felt much too heavy. Fighting back his own tiredness was futile, and seconds later, he was dozing off against Reborn's chest, smelling the scent of ash, smoke, and coffee on the elder mixed with the natural smell of the forest they were in before drifting back into the land of dreams.

Reborn rubbed Tsuna's back absent-mindedly, staring up at the starless sky, and was allowing himself to relax against the tree when Fon walked over, sleeves rolled up and a few strands of hair escaping from his braid.

"How's the doctor?" Reborn grunted, looking over.

"He'll live," Fon replied, inspecting his hands in the dark. "He's got some very unorthodox ways of healing himself. He's even got Geryon blood on him; god knows how he managed to get that stuff. It's extremely potent, so it staunched the wound at once and he just sewed himself back up like he was putting on a Band-Aid. Funny guy, Mukuro is."

"Hope his foot doesn't fall off," Reborn frowned. "If the flesh keeps getting torn and re-healed, it's going to start rotting."

"I'm surprised it hasn't already," Fon snorted. "Verde seems very interested though; I left those two to their own weird talk."

"Smart choice."

"No kidding."

There was silence, only broken by the low voices in the distance and the sounds of people shifting about in their tents. "How's Tsuna?" Fon asked, glancing at the shape of the teen sleeping against Reborn.

"Good," the hunter replied, running a hand idly through soft brown hair, feeling the burnt ends. "Tired, that's all."

"Well, that's what sleep's for," Fon answered. "So, I was talking with the others; it's obvious that we're not going to be able to find the elements in time if we move around in such a big group. I think its best we split up, find the elements in smaller crowds, and meet up again when everything's collected."

Reborn raised an eyebrow. "Split up? Are you sure?"

"It's better that way. Our actions won't be as obvious. Verde, Colonello, and Lal agree with me."

"Keep in mind Colonello and Lal are military persons," Reborn warned. "They're used to being out alone, and Verde is just a freak."

"You should be one to talk," Fon countered, chuckling. "A former child hitman not wanting to go solo? You really have changed."

Reborn huffed. "You know exactly why, Fon."

"I think I do," the Chinese man replied gently, smiling down at the sleeping form of Tsuna. "Well, the compromise is that we're not going to be in extremely small groups. Verde, Colonello and Lal will be heading out to find the fire elements while Mukuro, Tsuna, you and I will continue on to Greece to find Poseidon."

Reborn tilted his head, considering. "That could work out."

Fon nodded, relieved. "The only problem is we're not sure where to meet up once we find the elements. It's impractical to go back to China while we're still out West."

"Where will Lal and the others go?"

"They're searching for the Phoenix of Heliopolis. Loosely translated, _Heliopolis_ means the Sun City. It's a lost location in the middle of Egypt."

"Lost City?" Reborn repeated. "Good luck with that."

Fon sighed, rolling his sleeves back down and folding his hands in. "We have no choice. It's do or die."

Reborn made a noise of agreement. "Tell you what; I know where we can meet up. We'll go back to my place in Britain, the Grimm Office. It's pretty subtle and it's in London, so there's no way any of you guys won't know where it is."

"That might just work," Fon said slowly. "Good idea, Reborn. That'll be our meeting place then."

"Glad to help," the hunter replied dryly, making Fon chuckle tiredly.

"It's late; get some sleep. I'll take this watch."

Before Reborn could protest, the martial artist had vanished into the darkness without another word, humming to himself. The dark-haired man huffed humorously before tugging his fedora over his head and wrapping his arms around his lover, planting a soft kiss to the sleeping teen's head.

A moment later, Reborn was asleep as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Terms:<strong>

Hydra- a reptilian creature who had many heads and had a poisonous breath. If one head was cut off, two more would grow in its place.

Geryon - A giant centaur who guards Hell.

This is random, but in my dysfunctional mind, here's how the Acrobaleno are lined up agewise: Verde is the oldest, then Reborn, Fon, Lal, Mammon, and Colonello. Yes, Colonello is the youngest. Somehow, Verde always struck me as the older brother type. Even though he doesn't act like one. He's the older brother that moves out as soon as possible because he doesn't like his snotty younger siblings, Reborn resents him because Verde's the older brother who thinks he's all that, and Fon, the middle child, is the mediator and Colonello acts bratty because he's the youngest xD Lal and Mammon just sit around going, "Wow, my family's full of idiots."

The Acrobaleno are twenty plus years old. So is Mukuro. Tsuna turned twenty in October, smack in the middle of _Welcome to the Grimm Office_. Nobody celebrated his birthday, haha :'D

Thank you so much for reading! Chapter Six won't be long, promise :3

-BlackStar


	6. Chapter 6

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

Today was a Funny Sunny Day, but Without You, I still don't have a Heartbeat. Did you know that you're my V.I.U too? I need Somebody To Love, but what if you're not at the Horizon? Don't be Sorry Sorry; I just want to smile with you again.

Uhnn. Yeah. Don't ask about that…haha…inside story…mentions…I should stop talking :') I'm also extremely sorry for being so slow on updating again…schoolwork came first this time (~_ _)~

Might I also add that the next chapter might not be for a while as well; I have a massive seminar due Friday the 13th that I really must work on, but I promise it shouldn't be longer than a week's wait. Sorry! –bows-

Song of the day: Aishiteru (Kourin)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Six<p>

There were many stories in the past that speak of the Underworld. Perhaps the most descriptive and accurate account written by a man who had never even seen the gates of Hell himself would be Homer, an writer from Ancient Greece who was gifted beyond any mortal man, and used his talents wisely. Homer's story tells of the Underworld being located near the Western Horizon, the Ferryman, the river Styx and much more mythical beings. However, this was in Homer's point of view. In truth, the Underworld was slightly different.

It was not as dark as people would imagine; for Hell was the origins of fire, and the walls of the underearth glowed alive with flickering flames and heat. Demons of all shapes, sizes, origins and powers crowded amongst the towering caves, feeding on fresh animal meat and screeching wildly. Through the frenzy, the enslaved spirits trudged on through the heat and flames, moaning and dissolving and reforming into misty bodies. The ground shuddered and shook, and the noisy din quieted down for a moment before it went back into full swing, monsters laughing and devouring and wasting their time away.

A figure stood above them, leaning against the rails nailed into the sides of the cave for whatever safety protocols needed, looking down with boredom and slight disgust. He wore a dark cloak, hood drawn over his face despite the heat, and was drumming his fingers against the metal rails when a deep, baritone voice said softly next to him, "Lost in thought, Byakuran?"

Byakuran spun around, startled, and turned to face the speaker. He had the appearance of a man in his late twenties, perhaps early thirties, with pale skin and soulless grey eyes. His hair was a dark and was neatly combed back into a short ponytail that reached his shoulder blades. He wore a simple set of black robes and had a cloak like Byakuran's. There was something about this man that simply commanded one's undivided attention, and undeniably, radiated evil to a whole other level. The stone walls seemed to shrink back and the light of the fire dimmed, as though swallowed by shadows. Byakuran stared unflinchingly at the man, only inclining his head and murmuring a quiet greeting:

"My Lord."

The demon lord smiled serenely, at complete calm and ease. His cold gaze flickered over the wild monsters indulging themselves a level below before addressing Byakuran, "So; what's on your mind, fledgling?"

The white-haired male pursed his lips, purple eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at the other demon. "Nothing. I'm just watching the demons below."

"I hardly think that's an interesting pastime," the other replied, looking mildly surprised. "Why don't you sit with me in the hall? It's much quieter there; it'll do well for your thinking."

"Sorry, but I don't like quiet places much," Byakuran said. "I always have something playing in the background when I work."

"When you _worked_," the demon corrected smoothly. "That life was in the past, is it not?"

Byakuran's gaze returned to the beasts below. "Sure. In the past."

The demon sighed dramatically and reached out to brush his cold fingers against Byakuran's equally cold cheek. The white-haired man barely resisted a shudder running up his spine while he looked on with a careless pretense.

"It's no good to hang yourself up on things long gone, fool. I hate to see talent go to waste." The demon smiled and walked up until he was a mere inch away from Byakuran's ear. "Please, come by the hall later. I need you to see the next location I want you to scout the troublesome hunters on."

Byakuran grunted, hands tightening its hold on the rails. Then, as suddenly as he was there, the demon lord was standing further back once more, acting as though he had not just invaded the other's personal space. "Byakuran, if you like staring at those inferior demons so much, why not just join them below?"

The other stiffened this time, his gaze hardening while his eyes went soft and pained at the same time. "I don't like fire," Byakuran responded quietly.

"I see," the demon said softly. "Well, I suppose I'll leave you to your thoughts. Until later, fledgling."

Byakuran opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, the other demon was no longer there. He had simply disappeared into nothing. Pursing his lips, the white-haired man brushed his bangs back and wiped irritably at his cheek. The flames leaping from the hearths below illuminated his pale face as he stared down at the rowdy scene below, completely immersed in his own thinking again.

He rolled something between his palms; a broken shard from a Japanese styled sword, scratched up and discarded, feeling the dull edge press into his skin and the smooth side of the blade glide against his fingers.

Byakuran wasn't an idiot; he knew what he needed to do to avenge the only person he'd ever loved in his life.

And if he had to join the darker forces to obtain his goal, he'd do it all. Even if his drive was only the memory of his beloved.

"Takeshi…"

Tears gleamed from purples irises, and Byakuran clenched his fist tight enough to gain a cut from the dull side of the shard. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't _fair_. And it was that bastard's fault, that _fucker's_ fault that his Takeshi was dead.

Revenge was the best answer by far.

* * *

><p>As it turns out, they had ended up smack in the middle of a forest in Turkey. Even though there should be snow at this time of year, the forest was oddly bare; it looked slushy and springtime-like. Nobody had any explanation why the weather was so strange, but neither Reborn nor Tsuna were complaining; they'd both seen enough snow for a lifetime.<p>

This was the part where they did the stupid thing: split up. Yet, it was an inevitable path they had to take. Every one of the hunters, whether they were against the idea of parting ways or not, knew that there was no way they could find the elements quickly while clustered in a huge group of seven. For one, tracking them down would be easy, and it was hard to keep everybody in account. They couldn't risk such a huge attack like the dragon on them again; if they wasted any more time they'd never recover the four elements.

Verde, Tsuna and Reborn stood by with their bags and a tent slung on their shoulder while Fon sorted the remainder of their provisions with Colonello. Lal and Mukuro sat by the trees, both looking disgruntled at their injuries. Lal had insisted that she was well enough to take the trip and had argued to the death of it with her husband. Mukuro's foot was in bandages again, but other than that, the blue-haired man didn't show a lot of discomfort at having a limb that had been severed off and sewed back up almost twice already.

"Here we go," Fon said, tossing a wrapped package to Reborn, who tucked it into the bags, and passed one to Colonello. "That should be enough to last you guys for a few days. After that, it's up to you."

"Let's get going then, kora," Colonello muttered.

"Remember, we're meeting at Reborn's office after you find the elements. That's in London, England, and make sure you contact the other group for should any extreme event happen. Take care of yourself and be on your guard. Don't—"

"Alright, mother hen!" Verde shouted, rapping Fon lightly on the head. "We get it, and if we stand here any longer, we'll all be in trouble. They're watching us."

"Right. Watching us," Fon sighed, rubbing the sore spot. "Watch your backs, guys, and do your best to find the elements."

Nobody said a thing to that, even though the air was heavy with the silent "what if we fail" factor.

"Later," Lal grunted, heaving herself to her feet and trampling down the bushes before disappearing through the trees.

"Lal!" Colonello called, exasperated, and he, too, left them behind. Verde grumbled something about idiots and cast the other group a half-glance over his shoulder. For a moment, the green-haired man looked as though he wanted to say something, but seemed to decide against it, and without another word, the scientist left as well. This left Reborn, Tsuna, Fon and Mukuro standing in the clearing, listening to Lal and Colonello bicker as they stumped through the undergrowth.

"Let's go," Reborn said shortly, fixing the strap on his bag. "We don't have much time."

All nodding agreement, the other three followed suit, hiking up their bags and weapons before vanishing amongst the trees as well.

It was fortunate that the portal Fon had told them to jump through led them to Turkey; the country was not far from Greece or Egypt. Within travelling through three sets of portals, the group of four had already found themselves in the outskirts of a seaside Greek town that was thriving with enthusiastic merchants, sailors, shop owners or residents going about their daily lives. Tsuna found it difficult at times to wrap his mind around the normal lifestyle these people led; they had virtually no idea that the world they live in could shatter in a heartbeat.

"Smells like the sea," Fon commented softly. "I've never seen the ocean before."

"You haven't?" Tsuna exclaimed as they wove through the crowd, Reborn in the lead.

"Not once," Fon replied, smiling. "Verde used to tease me about all that I missed out; he lived near the sea when he was a child."

"It's nothing special," Reborn grumbled. "It's just really salty water."

Mukuro chuckled dryly, and they continued walking up the narrow street until they found a motel resting by the port, much to Fon and Tsuna's delight. Reborn bargained their way in with a few award winning smiles to the girl at the counter, and after much bribing and threats (on Reborn's part) an extremely reluctant Fon had let his hair down in pretense of being female in an attempt to sway the male manager for a discount.

It was wrong how well Fon could pull off being female.

Even worse; the _male_ manager had actually tried to ask him to _dinner _of all things, but the Chinese man smiled politely, mimed that he didn't speak Greek, and shoved past the group towards their room first, cussing out at them in Chinese.

The latter wouldn't stop laughing for the next hour, using Tsuna as a pillow again as they threw their stuff down and relaxed for the first time in days. After their near-death experience, it was decided that one person would always take lookout at all times, and that despite the wonderful weather and the sights around them, they wouldn't be tempted to go sightseeing. Fon had decided to scout the area and Mukuro had vanished down into the marketplace, claiming that he wanted to find some herbal medicine for his foot. This left Tsuna and Reborn resting on the bed in the small room, staring absent-mindedly out the open window that let the sea breeze waft in.

"Say, Tsuna…" Reborn started slowly, tilting his head so that he was staring up at the brunette.

"What?" the teen yawned, giving Reborn a sleepy smile back.

"Where did you meet Fran?"

Tsuna stiffened, eyes going dark as he recalled the late shaman's words to him. "When I went to get firewood."

"Why didn't you tell me you ran into one?" Reborn asked, frowning. "Shamans are dangerous; they could either be helpful or lead you to your death. It's not good to take their word literally, though I must say that Fran boy seemed a bit too honest for his own good. Did he get out of the Inn alive?"

For a startling moment, Tsuna could see the bloodstained frog hat lying in the snow before being crushed under the burning beam as the entire side of the Inn caved in. "I…I don't think so."

"That's too bad then," Reborn said softly, looking to one side. "He was damn strange, but he didn't seem like a bad kid."

"No…I guess not," Tsuna whispered, and before he could control himself, tears welled up in his eyes and fell, splashing onto Reborn's cheeks. The dark haired man looked over, startled, and sat up at once, cradling Tsuna's face in his hands.

"Tsuna, what's wrong?"

"I—nothing, it's nothing," Tsuna answered at once, but even as he said those words, the tears would not stop falling down his face. He mentally cursed himself for being so emotionally stupid; he didn't have time to cry! They had a mission to carry out; how would they ever save the world if he was sitting here sobbing like a baby?

"Tsuna," Reborn said sternly, and against his will, the teen turned his watery brown eyes on his boyfriend. "Tell me what's wrong."

And that was all it took for Tsuna to spill the prediction Fran had told him, stumbling on his own words and unable to keep his voice steady because of the tears running down his face. The whole time he spoke, Tsuna cursed himself for being such a child while Reborn gently wiped away the salty trails.

"You know," the hunter replied quietly once Tsuna had spilled his fears of losing Reborn to the said man, "during the fight in London, there was something that was killing me while we fought."

"What? What was wrong?" Tsuna asked, startled, hiccupping in shock. "Why didn't you say something to us back then?"

"It wasn't a physical problem," Reborn said softly before tapping his own chest. "It was guilt. My guilt that was burning me from the inside out; you were out there, fighting. The circumstances were so similar to the battle I fought with your brother six years ago, and I couldn't get this scenario out of my mind; what if you died too? I was already responsible for Giotto's death. If you died that day as well, I would have probably ruined myself."

Tsuna stared at Reborn, eyes wide. It was no lie that the dark-haired man was not normally a very social person and even more rarely shared his thoughts in such elaborate detail, so the fact that he was confessing all these things to Tsuna was a near miracle in itself. This nearly made the brunette gasp in understanding: Reborn knew the pain he was going through, so at the expense of reliving his own memories, his lover was telling him these things in hopes of easing Tsuna's mind.

To let him know that he was not the only person with doubts about survival.

Reborn looked out the window, pushing his already spikey and ruffled hair back, his inky black eyes reflective and tired. "After I…killed Giotto and lost Cozart, I couldn't sleep for days. I couldn't eat, and when I tried to, I'd end up emptying my stomach in the bathroom. I holed myself up in my apartment and couldn't even set foot in the Grimm Office. There were too many memories there, and I wasn't strong enough to handle remembering them. Yes, I'd killed countless demons and I've killed humans in my past, but none of them were my friends. It was an entirely different feeling to deal with."

Tsuna's breath hitched; this was the first time Reborn had talked to him about Giotto. The last time they'd attempted to touch on this sensitive topic, it had resulted in a full blown fight that leveled Reborn's flat, with Tsuna nearly succumbing to his inner demon and the elder getting impaled with a support beam. There was still scar over Reborn's abdomen, red and predominant.

The dark-haired man reached over to hold Tsuna's face with both hands, looking at him with a quiet, thoughtful gaze. "I can't be responsible for the death of another Sawada. The guilt will literally _kill_ me. If I had known Giotto had a younger sibling at home to care for…I'm sorry for your brother, Tsuna. I'm sorry. I promised myself that if I couldn't save Giotto, I'd do all that I can for you. And I intend to keep that promise, so don't be so hard on yourself, alright?"

Nothing could have prepared Reborn for the next thing Tsuna did; the brunette launched himself at his boyfriend, nearly sending them flying off the bed. Reborn fell backwards with a grunt, arms full of a sobbing, emotional teenager hugging the life out of him, and for the first time since they had started dating; Tsuna surprised the elder with a kiss. He hesitantly leaned down to press his lips against Reborn's, hesitant and still very shy at first, but when Reborn wrapped his arms around Tsuna's neck to bring him closer, all coherent thought went flying out the window.

Their tongues pushed against one another's, Reborn's eventually winning over before he pulled the brunette up and flipped them over on the bed. Tsuna fell amongst the covers, his hair scattered all over the pillow, brown eyes still watery but there was a small, soft smile on his face. A small hand reached up to hold Reborn's face, and Tsuna said quietly, "I'd already done this long ago, but I'll tell you out loud this time; I forgive you. And wherever Giotto is, I'm sure he has as well."

Reborn's eyes widened, and he was still in shock for a moment before he groaned and sat back on the brunette's legs, shaking his head. Tsuna looked startled and sat up too. "What? What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

"No, silly," Reborn replied, bonking Tsuna playfully on the head. "You pick the strangest times to say the strangest things, fool."

Tsuna blushed, pouting, but before he could complain, Reborn leaned in and kissed his forehead. "You have no idea how long I've hoped to hear something like that…that I'm not hated for what I had to do that day. Thank you, Tsuna."

If possible, the brunette's face darkened even more, but he nodded in reply, nearly melting on the inside. He didn't stop when Reborn locked their lips together again, only moaning softly when the elder stroked the small scar on his tongue from the time he'd nearly bitten the muscle in half. Tsuna smacked Reborn in the arm lightly; that spot on his tongue was far too sensitive. Of course, Reborn went for that weak link at once while pushing Tsuna back down on the bed, running his hand over the teen's smooth stomach. Tsuna yelped into Reborn's mouth, hands tightening their hold on the other's shoulders, and the elder hunter chuckled, liking the reaction. The teen ran his fingers through his boyfriend's hair, feeling the smooth texture and the odd pattern of spikes sticking up in every direction. It was getting warm as Reborn moved his hand further up Tsuna's chest and the brunette pulled the other down even closer, tilting his head back to let Reborn kiss him more—

"We're back," Fon called, opening the door before freezing, eyes widening in shock. Mukuro ran into him, making the raven stumble forward, and Reborn and Tsuna both looked over, Reborn looking dully annoyed while Tsuna's face went from cherry red to volcanic lava.

"Did you have to do it on the only bed in this room?" Fon hollered, furious, and threw a bag at Reborn, who craftily ducked and let it knock over the lamp.

"Sorry," the hunter smirked, not looking sorry at all. Tsuna shoved Reborn off him with surprising strength and rolled off, embarrassed. Reborn laughed out loud and grabbed the back of the teen's shirt, dragging him back so that the teen fell onto his lap. Tsuna protested weakly as Reborn locked his arms around the brunette's waist as Fon and Mukuro walked back into the room.

"What's in the bag?"

"Food," Fon sneered, and for the first time Tsuna had met him, looked annoyed and sarcastic. It was rather terrifying. Clearly Reborn was used to this odd change of behaviour, because he shrugged it off and said, "There better be caffeine in there."

"Unfortunately, there isn't, but we found the next best thing," Mukuro said, reaching into the brown paper bag.

Reborn raised an eyebrow. "Which is…?"

Mukuro pulled out a large fish, full of meaty flesh with impressive, floaty fins and scales that reflected rainbow colours. It was an amazing catch.

"This is our lure. Or rather, our offering," Fon said.

"So we're going to intercept Poseidon when he takes it," Tsuna said, wide-eyed.

"When is it going to happen?" Reborn asked, eyes narrowed.

"Tonight," Mukuro replied smoothly. "It's full moon; the circumstances don't get any better than this."

The dark-haired man nodded. "Fine. We'll move out tonight. The faster we get this done, the quicker we can move on to the next element."

There was a general noise of agreement, and Fon took the fish back from Mukuro. "Let's get our rest," he said simply. "We have to be prepared. He won't go down without a fight."

* * *

><p>It was indeed a full moon that night, and for such a busy village, the streets and ports were deathly still after sundown. Boats bumped against each other as water lapped up against the sides of the harbor in a slow, lulling motion. The wind ruffled the four hunter's hair as each of them hurried along the paved road towards their destination. Tsuna shivered, eyes darting back and forth between the shadows. Reborn had insisted that they remained a low profile until they had to defend themselves in addition to packing everything up in case they needed to make a getaway. Mukuro glanced around the corner, his trident held aloft before waving them in. The group ran down a long boardwalk until there was nowhere left to go; it was simply a dead end leading out to sea. The side of the harbor that they were on had rougher waves, so there weren't any boats in the water. Fon glanced out into the dark waters before lifting the fish out of the bag. He held it out over the edge of the boardwalk and said quietly, "Poseidon, lord of the seas, accept this offering."<p>

Fon let go, and the fish fell into the sea with a splash. The water rippled as the dead weight sunk into the waves below, and for a moment, there was nothing. Fon's eyes were narrowed as he watched for a reaction. Reborn stood by his side while Tsuna and Mukuro watched at the back, observing the water.

Then, they saw it; just the tiniest hint of a greenish glow beneath the surface, and neither Fon nor Reborn hesitated. They leapt into the water at once, Reborn smoothly yanking his holster off him and tossing it, along with his gun, onto the deck. Tsuna, with his reflexes, caught the mass before it could hit the wood. The water wavered madly as the two figures descended below, and the barely noticeable tint of green suddenly glowed, and wall the water underneath them was suddenly alive with light, as though a giant spotlight had been lit up underwater.

There was a sudden, violent splash that sent a shower of salt water over Tsuna and Mukuro, and then, something smashed against the portion of the boardwalk behind them, shattering the wood into smithereens. That left a huge gap between the rest of the walkway, leaving Tsuna and Mukuro stranded on a tiny square of wood sticking up in the middle of the sea.

"Fuck," the doctor cussed, glancing around. "He's right below us!"

And then, the tiny island they were standing on broke apart. With a yell, both Tsuna and Mukuro plunged into the sea. The salt water stung Tsuna's eyes as he opened them underwater, channeling into his inner demon, but aside from the blurriness, the glowing light from underwater allowed him to see clearly what was going on.

There was a massive man with a wild beard and thick, curly brown hair long enough to tie back. He was broad shouldered and well-muscled wearing lightweight armor plates. In his hand, he held a giant, twelve-foot long trident that made Mukuro's look like a toothpick. His eyes were stormy blue, and there was a fierce frown on his face as he swung his weapon around, trying to catch Fon and Reborn. The two hunters were swimming upwards towards Tsuna and Mukuro, and a moment later, all four of them surfaced, spitting out water and gasping for breath.

"What the hell was that!" Mukuro shouted, kicking over.

"That's him! Get out of the water!" Reborn bellowed, and as if on cue, the same explosive force that had destroyed the end of the boardwalk shot up from the water like a geyser, spraying them with salty liquid.

Dragging their soaked bodies up onto the undamaged part of the boardwalk, the four turned to face the water as the sea slowly bubbled, glowing brighter and brighter. Tsuna clenched his hands into fists, like Fon, while Mukuro lowered his trident and Reborn pulled out his hunting knife—his gun had sunk when the boardwalk was destroyed.

From the depths of the sea rose Poseidon, a giant of a god, nearly fifteen feet tall just from the torso and up. There was a thunderous expression on his face as he looked down upon them and boomed in a voice that shook the boats and made the trees along the coast shudder, "What is this mortal foolishness? You dare cross my territory and attempt to ambush me?"

"Lord Poseidon!" Fon called out, "That was not our intention. We only hope to draw you out so that we may speak to you."

"Hardly," the sea god snarled, looking furious.

"With all due respect, my lord," Reborn interrupted, "we stand here before you in the place of the Overking's Highest Spirit, Luce. There is something we need from you to prevent a demon uprising."

Poseidon arched a thick eyebrow. "Luce of the Overking? Luce died a decade ago, incompetent mortals. Even I know that much."

"That's why we're here," Fon objected. "We are Luce's students, and it is our duty to uphold her roles even in her death."

The sea god's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly leaned in so close that they could count every wrinkle on his suntanned face, see the flecks of gold in his majestic stormy eyes. "Do you take me for a fool, mortals? I am not a god for nothing. Do you think that I would not see the half-demon standing before me? The nerve of humans!" he roared, rearing back in fury. "How dare you approach me with such an inferior being at your side and claim to be fighting against those wretched dark beings!"

For a horrifying moment, it looked as though Reborn was going to unleash hell on the god, but Tsuna suddenly stepped up, his blazing orange eyes boring into blue ones. "I am a half-demon, yes, but when I fight, I fight with my human conscience. I am not the enemy."

"Doubtful words, boy," the god warned, a dark glare directed at the teen. Tsuna held his gaze, frowning at the response he got.

"Then why don't you fight against me?"

"What?" Poseidon roared.

"_What?_" Fon, Reborn, and Mukuro all echoed, but Tsuna plowed on, not giving them a chance to shout him down.

"You don't think I'm fighting with a human conscience? Fight me first, and then judge me for which side I am fighting for. If I lose, then that means I am no longer a human, and you may cast me into the Underworld if you wish. However, if I win, please give us the element of water that we need to summon the Overking in order to defeat the dark supernatural beings."

"Tsuna!" Reborn snarled, grabbing the teen's shoulder. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Trying to obtain our goal, of course," the brunette replied, giving Reborn a pointed stare.

"That's insane," Fon argued, "You cannot fight against a god; moreover—"

"Very well, mortal," Poseidon suddenly boomed, and Reborn paled. "Fight me, if you dare, and as you say, then I shall judge your claimed role in this upcoming war."

"Don't you dare!" Reborn shouted, grabbing Tsuna by the arm, but the brunette spun around and said firmly, "Don't stop me!"

Before any of the three hunters could stop the teen, Tsuna had already bolted down the remaining length of the dock and jumped at the god. In a flash, the waves around them reared back into a massive wall of water that came crashing down upon them. Tsuna fell with a splash into the sea, but he emerged at once, spitting water out, and pulled himself onto the remains of the destroyed boardwalk still floating around. Poseidon brought the trident slashing down in a deadly arc, but the teen managed to slide past the sharp tips and swing onto the giant weapon. Poseidon roared in rage, and in one swift motion, smacked Tsuna into the sea. The sea god then followed, submerging himself into the ocean after the hunter.

Under the foaming waves, Tsuna gagged as salt water rushed up his nose, but his mind screamed _focus!_ as Poseidon descended down upon him, the sharp trident coming forth too fast for Tsuna's liking.

_Now or never,_ the brunette thought quickly, and clasped his hands together. He willed his inner demon to rise, and at once, the dark power in him took over, it's frightful, burning black aura spreading through the waters like poison, dimming the majestic green light Poseidon was emitting with a plague-like shadow that ate away at everything in its path. From above, Reborn, Fon, and Mukuro stared in horror at the blackness that was staining the ocean like ink spilled over a piece of paper. Reborn looked as though he wanted to jump right in, but Fon grabbed his arm and yanked back.

"Don't! Leave it to Tsuna!"

"Are you fucking serious?" Reborn snarled, but at that moment, the water rippled, and suddenly, Poseidon surfaced, bellowing curses in ancient Greek, shaking the dark, tainted water out of his eyes. From the waves Tsuna emerged, momentarily radiating a black haze around him, but a second later, it was gone; to be replaced by a fiery orange glow as he grabbed the exposed end of the trident and literally ran his way up the slippery pole until he reached the tips of the weapon. Leaping from the sharp points, Tsuna dropped like a stone onto Poseidon's face. The god roared and the three hunters on the drop felt the jaws drop at the sight.

What kind of fight _was_ this?

"Watch," Tsuna murmured, and pulled his fist back before punching the sea god right in the eye. Bright, golden blood sprayed out from the wound as Poseidon bellowed in pain, his yells mingled with Tsuna's as the teen threw his arms up to shield himself; a god's blood was acidic. Poseidon flung Tsuna from his face, who went flying backwards and smashed through the dock, falling into the waters. Reborn turned with a yell and dove into the sea after his boyfriend, hoisting a limp Tsuna out of the waters. Fon hurriedly retrieved the teen as Reborn climbed out himself, wringing water out of his jacket.

"Tsuna!"

The teen coughed weakly, angry red burns all over his arms and face, and parts of his sweater were singed away by the golden blood. He coughed, spitting up a little blood before struggling to his feet.

"Don't. Move." Reborn growled, shoving Tsuna back down, who protested.

"I need to finish this fight!"

"You're going to ruin yourself, idiot!" Mukuro snarled. "A god is not a force you can take down easily!"

A large shadow fell upon them in the dock, and all the hunters stiffened. Fon and Mukuro both spun around defensively as Poseidon neared, one giant hand holding his injured eye. But then, to everybody's shock, he raised his other hand and said simply, "Enough. I have seen all that I need to see."

"Whaa?" Tsuna spluttered intelligently, leaning heavily against Reborn's shoulder, splayed on the ground because of his injuries. The sea god looked down at him and rumbled, "I am convinced that you are in complete control of your inner demon as you claimed before, human. Never had such a powerful dark creature entered my waters and _never_ had a mortal ever injured me before."

For a moment, the god looked a bit annoyed, but he continued in a quieter tone, "But I have seen the amount of power you exercise over the monster in you, and believe it or not; gods have to keep their word as well."

The god raised his hand and scooped up a handful of sea water. Raising it to his lips, Poseidon blew into the water. The liquid swirled, rolled, and slowly formed a sphere the side of an orange. Lowering the droplet down, it floated towards the four hunters, who stared as it hovered in front of them, swirling and turning in the air.

"That is the element of water with the blessing of Poseidon," the god said gravelly. "I have guarded all the seas of this world as the Overking has instructed, and I entrust this portion of my world to you. Be warned, mortal. You wield a powerful force within you. Do not succumb to it."

"Thank you," Tsuna breathed, reaching out to pick up the droplet. It dropped into his palm, weightily, but smoothly. The teen could feel the coolness of the water through his gloves. When he extinguished his powers, he was astounded that it didn't soak through his mittens. It was really something else.

"This war will soon escalate, mortals," Poseidon warned, already sinking into the waves. "Be on your guard."

When the god completely vanished, the four hunters sat in a daze, looking at the spot where he'd vanished. The green light faded, the sea stilled, and there was nothing more. Suddenly, Reborn spun around and smacked Tsuna on the head, making the brunette scream bloody murder.

"That hurt!"

"Are you born stupid or something?" Reborn bellowed, seizing Tsuna's face between his hands. "You could have died! That was a god you were fighting up against! Did you go insane? That was the most _idiotic_ thing you've ever done!"

"Now, now," Fon smiled tiredly, patting Reborn's back. "Tsuna only meant well. That being said, Tsuna, I agree with Reborn; don't go around challenging gods like that. It's generally not good for one's health."

"I'm a hell of a doctor, but even I can't sew multiple body parts up," Mukuro snickered, getting to his feet. "Watch yourself, boy."

Tsuna blinked innocently up at Reborn, looking appropriately apologetic. "I'm sorry, Reborn. I promise I won't do it again."

The dark hair man grumbled, but he leaned in to bonk heads against the teen. "If you do that again, I'll personally kill you, smartass."

"Looking forward to it," Tsuna chuckled quietly, smiling down at the water element in his hand. It felt strangely satisfying to see one of their goals fulfilled. Reborn sighed and pulled the teen up. "Hey, kid, you know what this means, right?"

Tsuna blinked. "What?"

"We have our element," Reborn smirked. "We can head to Britain now."

Tsuna's jaw dropped. "I almost forgot!"

"After we contact Lal, Colonello and Verde, of course," Fon added, smiling.

"Kufufufufu, hurry up then," Mukuro called over his shoulder, already walking back to land. "I'd like to get an hour's rest in, at the very least."

Reborn glanced over at Tsuna. "Well? Are you coming or not?"

Tsuna nodded, feeling refreshed for the first time in days. Despite the burns on his face and the fatigue threatening to knock him over, the feeling of Reborn's fingers linked with one hand and the water element in the other made everything alright. They'd complete stage one of their case.

And now they were heading back to the Grimm Office, even if it was only for a short stay.

They were heading home.

* * *

><p>Homer is actually an Ancient Greek writer. No, he's not the Homer from <em>The Simpsons<em>. I studied him in Ancient History class. My paper was on the Trojan War, and while Homer's mythological account of it was pretty BS, it was still very fun to read… though my essay is shit :'D

Thank you so much for reading and all the reviews! I feel special :'3

Happy Easter, everyone~

-BlackStar


	7. Chapter 7

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

I loved Chapter 380 of KHR. Mukuro seems…different, somehow. And I adore it. And because he's just that much of a sex god…ahem. I lied when I said this chapter wouldn't be around for another week. Somehow, all the perfect ideas just came crashing down on me and I was like "BANZAI!". So yeah.

Thank you for the comments; I'm glad you liked Chapter Six :'D whoopeeee~

Song of the day: Light and Day (The Polyphonic Spree)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven<p>

London had not changed much in the two months' time they were gone. There was definitely a thin layer of snow on the streets, and the city was bustling with the air of post-New Year's. People walked up and down the streets, chatting lively with their shopping or groceries. Children laughed and screamed as they dashed about in the parks, parents sitting by idly, talking amongst themselves. There was a bit of sun peeking out from behind the cloudy skies in the grey mid-morning, and a snowy haze hid the higher buildings from view. Below, in the streets, the four hunters moved along with the crowd in the streets, heading down the cobblestones to the alleyway between the Kawahira bakery and the Cavallone printing press.

"I thought you said this place was always downtrodden and dreary?" Fon asked, glancing about. "It's livelier than I thought it would be."

"You don't say?" Reborn mumbled, pulling his coat tighter around him. "The weather's still shit in my opinion."

"It's better than before," Tsuna said firmly, and Reborn rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

The Grimm Office had never been a more welcoming sight. It was still the same old bureau half hidden in the tiny alleyway with its creaky sign hanging overhead, but there was the air of _home_ around it. The mail slot was stuffed full of letters, crumpled and faded from the weather. Even the cracks in the doorway had a sheet of paper or a postcard jammed into it. A pile of parcels were balanced by the door with a few bills tucked securely here and there. Reborn grumbled and shoved the junk mail out of the way before stuffing his key into the lock, opening the door. A mountain of papers slid down, all piled up on the inside of the door.

"Popular, aren't you?" Fon said in amusement, watching Reborn cuss and kick the letters out of the way.

"Shut up."

They moved into the lobby and up the stairs. Tsuna smiled brightly despite the amount of dust all over the room that he'd probably have to sweep up later on. The water element was place securely in a small sack, which Mukuro was currently holding. Reborn pushed the door open to their office, gesturing for them to enter. Everything in the room had remained exactly where it was before they left; the bills and letters stacked neatly on Tsuna's table, Yamamoto's name plate on the top shelf, the paperweight still keeping their notes down on the table.

Reborn walked over to open the window to let some fresh air in while Tsuna offered to hang their coats up. Fon shut the door behind him with a _click_, and in an instant, the unseen shadow was upon them. With a fierce swipe of black, Fon was thrown sideways and he fell, smashing against the side of the wall, a splatter of blood painting the wallpaper as he slid down to the floor, unconscious. Mukuro, Reborn and Tsuna jolted, thrown off guard, and the shadow abruptly lashed out at the doctor, flinging him across the room like he was a rag doll. The blue-haired man hit the bookshelf that made the walls shudder and crumpled to the ground, unmoving as well. The sack with the element hit the floor and bounced away, out of reach, into the corner for the room. Tsuna and Reborn reacted at once, both diving for the bag, but the darkness lashed out swiftly to both of them. Reborn lost his footing and fell backwards, vision filled with smoky black haze and the ceiling. The last thing Reborn remembered before his head made solid contact with the corner of the desk was a flash of white and Tsuna's terrified yell. Then, everything faded from his consciousness.

* * *

><p>"…rn…"<p>

"…Re…rn!"

The hunter stirred, and at once, a violent stab of pain shot through his cranium, as though someone had taken a hammer and bludgeoned him while he was down. His limbs felt like lead, and he could feel something sticky on the back of his neck.

"…born!"

What _was_ that fucking annoying sound?

"REBORN!"

Reborn's eyes shot open at the sound of his name, and almost regretted the action at once. A sliver of evening sunlight was shining through the gap in the curtains as the fabric billowed out from the wind blowing in through the open window. Reborn rolled over, head pounding, and for a scary moment, couldn't remember a thing. Then, he caught sight of Fon lying on his side by the doorway and Mukuro on his back by the bookshelf, unconscious, and everything crashed down upon him like a tidal wave.

"Shit," Reborn cussed, his voice cracking. "Shit, shit, _shit, _fucking god, no!"

The room was messy, but not destroyed. There were papers flying all over the room and the paperweight was overturned on Reborn's desk, but other than Tsuna's desk being pushed off-center slightly and the door swinging back and forth, half-open, nothing was touched.

Even the water element had stayed where it was, in its sack, resting on the floor in the corner of the room. Reborn's blood chilled. If they weren't attacked for the element, then what…?

"REBORN! IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW I'LL KILL YOU!"

Reborn jumped, ramming his head on the corner of the table and unleashed a string of muffled curses. That had, undeniably, been Verde's voice. Verde's voice was coming from his fucking bag. There was another moment where Reborn's memory failed him, but as he crawled over to the discarded item and upturned its contents, he finally understood why: amidst medical packs, ammunition, and extra sweater and wrapped food, a circular mirror rolled out. The two-way mirror Fon had given them right before the trip. Reborn seized it at once, turning the reflective side over and tapped it.

"Verde? Is that you?"

There was a flicker of green in the mirror, and then, the scientist's face sharpened. Reborn immediately deducted that something was wrong; the green-haired man looked hassled, not just annoyed, and he was pulling at the strands hair near the back of his neck. Reborn had only seen that expression under three circumstances: there was a scientific question he couldn't solve, Luce had caught him setting up traps for squirrels in the yard, and when Verde was actually nervous about something, which was extremely rare. It was like imagining a quiet Colonello, or a crybaby Lal.

"No shit it's me, Reborn, why the hell didn't you pick up? I've been trying to contact you guys for the past twenty minutes!"

"Twenty minutes—" Reborn cussed, looking around. To his horror, the scenery outside the room was an evening setting.

They had been knocked out for the whole_ day_.

"God damn it!" Reborn swore, grabbing at his hair, terror rising up in him.

"What? What's going on?" Verde demanded. "What are you doing?"

"We're in Britain!" Reborn shouted, his stomach threatening to turn over on him. "We're in the Grimm Office, and…ah, fuck it, we were ambushed! I was out until you woke me up with your shouting a minute ago!"

"Ambushed? How?" Verde asked, expression going stormy. "Reborn, you had better not lost your element!"

"The element's fine!" Reborn snarled. "They—whatever they were, they didn't come for the water droplet!"

"What do you mean?" Verde growled, confused.

"They came for _Tsuna,_" Reborn groaned. "Tsuna's gone!"

There was silence on the other end. The scientist looked stunned. "What the hell would anybody want with the kid? Are you sure he's gone?"

"Positive," Reborn whispered. "I can feel it; Tsuna's nowhere near this place. And I don't know where they took him."

Verde snarled, kicking at something on his side of the mirror in fury. "Great! Great! Just what we needed! Now that's two people down!"

" 'Two people down'?" Reborn repeated, heart nearly stopping. "What the hell's going on, Verde? Where are Colonello and Lal?"

The scientist glared, pulling at his hair harder than ever. "It's fucking bull, man. Those two are working out their own little problem right now, and I don't even want to be around them arguing."

"Lal's Hydra poisoning?" Reborn frowned. "What, is it getting worse? Damn this, we told her to sit this one out, and now you're fucking stuck in the middle of Egypt looking for your element—"

"Oh, we found our element," Verde interrupted, and he bent down to retrieve something; a handful of blazing, red-orange flames. It flickered and glowed and radiated such heat that Reborn could almost feel it through the mirror. "We found Heliopolis and bargained our way into the temple of the Phoenix. We fought it, and won the flames off him. But before we left, it told us something."

"What'd it say?"

Verde pursed his lips. "The Phoenix symbolizes life, death, and the cycle of rebirth, yeah? And you can't lie to a spirit of power like that. The Phoenix found Lal's lie."

Reborn's eyes narrowed. This conversation was not going well.

"It's not Hydra poisoning. Lal's _pregnant_. She's actually fucking pregnant. With that dense idiot Colonello's kid!"

The dark-haired man was still for a moment, and then he groaned, grabbing at his head. "She's _what_? Lal's—fuck…you cannot be serious."

"This is the one time in my life I wish I was lying to you, Reborn," Verde said, and he looked so serious Reborn almost wanted to punch something. For one, it reminded him that if Verde could take this gravely, it was probably a really bad situation, and for another, it reminded him that Verde was the oldest of the whole group. It pissed him off to feel inferior to the stupid scientist, but that was a different story.

"How far along is she?" Reborn asked.

"Three months," Verde replied. "Don't give me that look, _I_ didn't believe her in the beginning, but it times out, apparently. I didn't ask how, god knows how scarred I'll be if I found out, but she's one of those people that don't really get a bump, plus she's always wearing that giant cloak of hers, and it was hard to tell."

Reborn hissed, putting his head down. Now what? Regardless of how stupid they regarded the reason; Reborn knew that he, Colonello, Verde, Fon and Mukuro would never allow Lal to continue the mission like this. They weren't heartless bastards, and Lal, whether they would admit it or not, was like a sister to them. Running around with your life on the line while being pregnant was not something they would ever let her do.

"So now what?" Reborn asked flatly, feeling the dull, throbbing pain in his chest.

"Fuck if I know."

"That doesn't help!"

"Then what do you want me to say?"

Reborn growled, and then put his head down, taking in a deep, shuddering breath. He had to calm down. He was freaking out right now, and it wasn't the best thing to do in this situation. He needed to keep a cool head and figure this out. In, out, in, out…when his heart managed to retain a steadier beat, he looked up and said to Verde, "Go talk to Lal. See if you can find her a way back to China as quickly as possible. I'm going to see if Mukuro and Fon are okay, and I'll get back to you."

"Hnn," Verde grunted. "Watch yourself."

With those words, the scientist vanished from the mirror, and Reborn placed his down, running a hand along the back of his head. He felt something wet there, and when he pulled his hand back, there was blood on his palm. Cursing himself for letting his guard down, he carefully pulled his aching body over to where Fon was, and checked the Chinese man over. Like himself, the blood on the wall was from a cut on his head, and when Reborn shook his friend lightly, the raven groaned weakly, reaching for his temple.

"Fon, wake up."

"Reborn…?" Fon rolled over and squinted up at the hunter, and he paled. "Oh no…what's going on?"

"Ambushed," Reborn growled, extending a hand to help Fon sit up. "Tsuna's gone."

"Tsuna?" Fon asked, startled, but Reborn held off his answer until he got Mukuro up. He retrieved the sack with the element and explained the whole situation to the two hunters. Fon's jaw dropped and Mukuro groaned when Reborn told them Lal was pregnant, and neither of them had any idea as to why Tsuna would be kidnapped. The three of them sat on the floor of the Grimm Office in silence, trying to get past their confusion so they could think. If Reborn hadn't rammed his head into the corner of a table, he would have been pacing, knocking things over in annoyance or growling like a trapped, feral animal.

"We're halfway there," Fon said softly, "We have two elements; we can't stop now."

"And we're down two people," Reborn growled irritably. Fon sighed, rubbing his head.

"Yes, I can see that."

"Get Lal back to China. She can't continue," Mukuro said. "We'll have to split up again into even smaller groups, even though I think that's a horrible idea…"

Mukuro continued to talk, but Reborn wasn't listening anymore. All that was going through his mind was the fact that he couldn't protect Tsuna, and there it was again. The feeling of painful, agonizing guilt. Reborn fell backwards so that he was lying on the floor, ignoring how Fon and Mukuro went quiet at his out of character behaviour. The cold ground felt refreshing against his throbbing head, and he stared up at the ceiling, mind going into overdrive. He turned his head with a groan, and his gaze fell upon the gap between the vent and the floor under the window.

There was something lying on the floor.

Perhaps it was his instinct that drove him to turn over again and reach into the dust to fish the piece of paper out, because under any normal circumstances, Reborn wouldn't have bothered. He wiped the grime off the previously glossy surface and stared at the scrawl on the white background. As Reborn read through the message, his stomach turned over.

_To the Grimm Office:_

_My name is Giannini. I live in the outskirts of London city, and I'm writing in regards to a demon that has crossed through my pastures for the past week. My crops have been witling every time he passes through and the very grass he stands on dies away into ash. I have found an entire pack of wolves slaughtered in the forest, and it was no bear or hunter that did it. This demon has the appearance of a human; white hair and purple eyes with a tattoo under the left one. Please take a look into this monster, as it appears to be something quite dangerous._

_Giannini_

_-November 2__nd_

Reborn didn't realize that he was practically scrunching up the postcard until he heard the paper tearing and Fon calling out, "Reborn? What are you doing?"

"I know where Tsuna went," Reborn answered slowly. "At least, I have a hunch."

"What? How?" Mukuro asked, looking surprised. Reborn passed the postcard to him.

"This was a request that came into the office the day before we left…it fell behind the vent. The demon it's talking about is a man I knew. He fought alongside us in the battle here, in London. He…his boyfriend, who worked with me in the Grimm Office, died. His superior did too. Neither Tsuna or I had heard from him after the incident, but…he blamed me for the death of his boyfriend."

"Who is this?" Fon asked, frowning.

"His name is Byakuran," Reborn answered. "Chances are, he'll have taken Tsuna back to the Underworld, as revenge, because I indirectly caused the death of his lover."

"…well, shit," Mukuro muttered. "Let me guess, you're going to have to go save him now, won't you?"

Reborn shot the doctor a nasty look, who raised his hands in defence. "Hey, relax, I'm not trying to sound like an ass; I'm just pointing out that a trip to the Underworld would most definatly put a damper on our case."

"Mukuro's right," Fon said quietly. "Let's call Verde back on this."

Reborn went to retrieve the two-way mirror at once, and once the green-haired man appeared on the other side, still looking disgruntled, Reborn gave him his guess at where Tsuna was. Needless to say, Verde wasn't pissed off.

The man was _livid_.

"You know, maybe I should have beat your head in when you were younger," Verde snarled angrily, "Then _maybe_ you'd have some more fucking common sense!"

"Shut up!" Reborn yelled back. "You don't know Byakuran, or what he's capable of! And I am not letting Tsuna die!"

"Why the hell am I always stuck with the lovebirds?" Verde roared. "We're on our way to war with the fucking world relying on us! And you want to take a little side trip to the Underworld? Are you as stupid as you look?"

"At least I have a heart," Reborn sneered back. "An insufferable prick like you will never know what it feels like to almost lose everything that's ever had a meaning to you!"

"Take that back, bastard!"

"In your dreams," Reborn snarled.

Before Verde could retort, or possibly break the mirror out of anger, Fon intervened, snatching the looking glass out of Reborn's hand. "I have an idea," the raven snapped, glaring at both males. "I agree that we are extremely short on time, but we can't leave Tsuna either. I think that we should split up once more."

"Oh, because we all know how well that went," Verde grumbled.

"We found two elements," Mukuro contradicted helpfully in the background, making Verde's eye twitch.

"Colonello and Lal should head back to China, but at the same time, they can look for one of the elements along the way."

"Which one?"

"Air." Fon said. "The roc is essentially a giant black bird. It resides in some of the highest points on earth."

"Mountains," Reborn guessed.

"Exactly. And some of the world's tallest ranges are located in Nepal; the Himalayas. The two of them can stop by there before they go right back to the temple. Hopefully, they'll be able to convince the roc to give them their blessing, and then Lal can rest properly and Colonello will stop flipping out every ten minutes."

"Then what about the rest of us?" Verde asked, crossing his arms so that his reflection jolted.

"You'll pair up with Mukuro and tackle the last element; earth. Gaia."

"Mother of the nature," Verde said slowly. "I'm guessing we'll find her in some forest or something."

"Close," Fon replied. "From what I deduct, one of the most undisturbed locations in this world is an island located off the continent of Africa called Madagascar."

"_Madagascar?_" Mukuro and Verde both shouted at once.

"You're lying," Verde groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Really, Fon, really?"

"Hey, I didn't choose the locations," Fon protested. "We need to get this done. We can't linger anymore; we'll lose the war otherwise. Get in, get what you need, get out fast, and we'll all go back to China this time. We need the Overking's help, and in order to get him, we need the elements. We cannot fail."

"Fine," Verde growled. "Send Mukuro to Egypt as soon as possible. We're still here, since Colonello doesn't want to fucking move. I'm guessing you'll be going with Reborn then, Fon?"

"No," Reborn said sharply. "Go with Colonello and Lal, Fon, I can do this on my own."

"You wish," Fon snorted, half-glancing over. "This has always been one of your problems, Reborn. You refuse to let others help you. I seriously wonder how Tsuna ever entered your life."

"Tsuna—" Reborn started to protest, but Fon cut him off smoothly: "Tsuna wouldn't want you to lose your head while trying to rescue him. Trust me, Reborn. I'll go with you, and we'll both bring Tsuna back, alright? Don't argue with me, because it's for your own good."

"Mother hen," Reborn and Verde both muttered at once, but the dark-haired hunter couldn't keep the grudging look of approval off his face. "Fine, but watch yourself. I…don't you dare die on this, Fon."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Fon retorted. "I take offense to you looking down on me, Reborn."

"So is this all to the plan?" Verde asked, sighing. "Send Mukuro over now. I'm going to tell Colonello and Lal what's going to happen, so move out as soon as you can."

"Understood," Fon replied. "Take care, Verde."

The scientist grunted again before disappearing from view, and the three men in the office shared a grim moment of silence before getting to their feet and picking up their bags. It was time to go their separate ways once more.

"There are two or three portals down by the Thames river, Mukuro," Reborn instructed. "Test them out to see where you can get to; otherwise take the train out into the countryside or the forest. There should be more there."

"Understood," the blue-haired man answered, slinging his bag on his shoulder. "I'll let you know when I reach Verde." With those parting words, he vanished out the front door, closing it behind him as he went. Reborn walked over to the window, watching the doctor exit downstairs and leave the alleyway. The hunter leaned over and pulled the window shut, snapping the lock back on it.

"We're not coming back to this office anymore," he growled. "They know our location. It's best to keep moving."

"We'll be going westward then," Fon agreed, rolling up his sleeves. " 'The West is the Land of the Dead', or so they say."

"We'll be looking at something barren, or unpopulated," Reborn said.

"Iceland," Fon offered. "That's furthest we get before entering the North American continent."

"Iceland it is," Reborn muttered, shouldering his side bag and opening the drawer of his desk for another gun. "We'll take the train to the countryside."

A hand was suddenly placed on his arm, and the hunter turned to see the martial artist standing next to him, a sad look on his face. "He'll be okay, Reborn. Tsuna's a tough kid."

It was in that moment that the weight of the entire situation finally crashed down onto the elder and Reborn closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. "I know," he answered eventually. "I know he'll be fine."

And Reborn hated the fact that all he could do at the moment was hope.

Hope, with all his heart, that his Tsuna would be alright.

* * *

><p>The walls shook and the sounds of the demons roared and laughed on the level above. It reverberated off the high walls and descended to the cave below, where it was dark, wet, and cold. The floor was flat and cool, like clay, and there was a stray rock or pebble lying around. Water dripped from the ceilings and onto the ground, forming small puddles. There was a torch hanging from the cavernous roof, glowing with unnatural blue flames. The entire cave was gloomy and dank, the only exit blocked with a heavy, crisscrossing iron bars. It was a massive dungeon.<p>

Tsuna lay on his side, eyes closed, still lost in the land of unconsciousness. There was a bit of dried blood on the side of his head, and his arms were tied tightly behind his back by a length of thick, coarse rope. A wad of cloth was bound around his mouth, and his feet were tied up too. He lay on his side on the damp floor, head resting against the wet stone, breathing in and out, evenly. His mittens were casually placed on the floor near the doorway, about ten feet away from where the teen was.

There was the sound of jingling keys, and for a moment, a shadow fell upon the doorway of the prison. There was the noise of metal against metal, and then, the doorway creaked open, and a tall figure entered. In the dim room, his white shirt seemed to glow like an unearthly presence, the rest of his black, leather clad body lost in the darkness. Cold purple eyes bored down at the unconscious teen as he neared, his footsteps slow and purposeful, echoing around the cave.

Tsuna twitched, groaning a little in pain.

Byakuran came to a halt before the brunette, an unreadable expression on his pale face. His hand moved to the weapon strapped to his belt, and pulled the dagger out from its sheath, the sharp edge glittering wickedly against the blue light.

Tsuna moved again, eyes starting to flutter weakly open, slowly regaining consciousness.

Byakuran waited, slowly raising his blade.

Tsuna finally opened his eyes, blinking blearily up, and with a vicious flash of reflected light against metal, Byakuran stabbed downwards.

* * *

><p>When a bunch of you guys guessed correctly in the early chapters about Lal being pregnant, I'm like…well. Everybody caught on too quickly. Let me throw a curveball in somewhere. So…trollolololol? :'D Please don't be mad…but hey, it's Colonello and Lal's kid. Lal would probably lie about something like that because she's serious about not hindering them on the case…or so my brain says. I ship her and Colonello hard enough as it is *u*<p>

I'm curious though…do you guys think it'll be a boy or a girl? Their child is still unknown inside my head, so feel free to persuade me if you have a bias :'3

Well…cliffhanger. Thing is, I'm not even sure at the moment if Tsuna's going to die or not. That would be a terrible R27 ending. But then again…there's always the element of surprise, kufufufufu. Who knows?

Thank you for reading! I'll probably be busier this week because of my seminar project, but Chapter Eight won't be long, promise! Working hard~~

-BlackStar


	8. Chapter 8

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

Why am I so tired all the time? TT^TT

Here is Chapter Eight! Thank you to all the wonderful comments~ -bows-

Song of the day: Love is Dead (D'espairsRay)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eight<p>

If he'd known that he'd wake up to see Byakuran holding a knife over him in the middle of some godforsaken cave, Tsuna realized that there was a million things he'd wished he had done sooner. He would have gone back to school, for one, and at least tried to become an author. He probably would've decked the kid back in fifth grade who said Giotto was a brainless pretty boy. He would have gone to see the Eifel Tower, if only just once. He would have learned to paint, tried to drive a car properly, or make more friends.

He wanted to see Reborn again.

He felt so _stupid_ for letting his guard down.

So, so, so, stupid.

Tsuna stared up, momentarily shocked, and Byakuran's blazing purple eyes stared right back down. There was a moment when neither of them moved, and then, both pounced into action at once. Tsuna squirmed, his yells muffled by the gag, and Byakuran grabbed him, forcing his face down into the ground and pinning him down on either side, which made the teen writhe even more.

He was not going to die like this.

"Stop that," Byakuran snarled. "Stop it!"

If looks could kill, the floor would be an unfortunate victim. Tsuna flared up at once, face still mashed into dirt and grime, his demonic energy going all out, but to his shock, Byakuran did the same. He could feel the white haired man using his own energy to suppress and neutralize Tsuna's power, and never in his life had the brunette ever felt so restrained.

"You idiot, stop flopping all over the place!" Byakuran hissed viciously, and Tsuna's hairs stood up on end when he felt the blade touch be back of his bound hands.

Then, the knife moved—

And the ropes were severed.

Tsuna froze, confused, and Byakuran cussed in annoyance as he sawed away at the remaining strands of cord tying Tsuna's hands back. Once those fell away, the white haired man moved off the teen and hacked the ones tied around his ankles off. Grumbling, Byakuran leaned over and pulled the gag off Tsuna before sitting back, cross-legged, on the cold damp floor.

"What are you, part worm?" the demon mumbled, sucking at the cut on his thumb.

"You—what—why—?" Tsuna stammered, sitting up on his knees, staring.

"Why did I cut you lose?" Byakuran asked, raising an eyebrow. "Obviously because I'm here to get you out."

Tsuna stared. And stared. He stared until Byakuran coughed awkwardly and said, "Stop that. You haven't blinked for two minutes, it's creepy." He pushed back his hair and stared up at the high ceiling of the cave. "Look, I can tell that you don't trust me right now. And sure, I don't appear to be the good guy, but believe me on this: when I got wind that you were captured, the first thing I did was demand that _I_ get to guard your cell. I can't risk any other demon getting their hands on you."

"W-where am I?" Tsuna asked, massaging his wrists and cracking his stiff neck.

"The Underworld," Byakuran answered smoothly, watching Tsuna's jaw drop.

"The Underworld? You're…you're a demon? But how what _are_ you doing here?"

"For revenge," the white-haired replied without hesitation. Tsuna stared.

"But…here…Reborn isn't here," the teen said, confused. Byakuran raised his other eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm after Reborn? I don't deny that I'm furious with him, I don't care what you say or anybody else says; it was his fault that Takeshi died." Tsuna swallowed the lump in his throat, heart pounding painfully. Byakuran huffed and looked away at the dark wall of the cave.

"But even I…knew that Reborn didn't mean it. If I had been in his position, and realized the Takeshi had to fight all those demons by himself, I would have gone to his aid…regardless. It's the King of Hell who's at fault. His demons ransacked London, and if there hadn't been a war, Takeshi would still be alive. That's why I'm here. I'm in an optimal position to strike, and when you were caught, my chances just one-upped themselves."

"What do you mean?" Tsuna asked.

"You were captured for a reason and one reason only: to lure Reborn to Hell." Byakuran said. "I don't know exactly why, but the King of Hell himself told me so. That means that he trusts me enough to let me in on his plans, and I have that advantage already. He thinks I'm interrogating you right now, which is even better. When Reborn arrives—don't give me that look, kid, I know he will—I'll use his arrival to my advantage and take the King down."

"You're going to use us?" Tsuna whispered, mind swimming with a dozen questions. Byakuran stood up and dusted his pants off, giving the teen a curious look.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought of riding along with my plan? Think of it this way; I'm the one exposing my true colours; I'll take the bigger blunt of the King's wrath when I reveal myself. If I kill the King, then all your demon problems will literally disappear. I'm using you and Reborn to fool the King, and the two of you will use me to get rid of him. Don't tell me you honestly didn't even think about a scenario like that?"

Judging by the slack-jawed look Tsuna was hosting, the thought hadn't even crossed the brunette's mind. Byakuran gave him a funny look, sighed, and then said quietly, "You really are too honest for your own good. Just like Takeshi was. I'm leaving for a bit, but I'll get you food. Don't make a fuss and don't try to escape. Trust me, it's not worth it. Wait for your boyfriend to come."

With those words, Byakuran swept out the dungeon, leaving Tsuna sitting alone in the dark. His thoughts were literally running around and bouncing off the side of his skull in confusion. Could he really trust Byakuran? Was the man telling the truth? Tsuna shivered and pulled his limbs closer.

For such a fiery, deadly place, Hell was pretty cold and lonely to him.

Byakuran was not the best company in the world, but nonetheless, Tsuna was grateful for the white-haired man's occasional visits. Other security demons lumbered past his cell, sometimes peeking in, but Tsuna often sat in the shadows, hiding from view, so his captors grew bored quickly and ignored him. The food there was more often burnt than anything, but it was edible so Tsuna digested it anyway. It might have been meat, but he could hardly tell through the profound charcoal-like taste. One thing was for sure: after this, Tsuna would never ask for his steak to be well-done again.

Byakuran brought forth no news for a while, though Tsuna wasn't sure how long. Time was lost in the dark, slimy walls off the cave, which the teen feared. He hated being left uninformed, unknowing. The brunette often paced around the cave, trying to ease his overactive mind, but when he really couldn't stand it anymore, he'd put on his gloves and channel into his demon side. Somehow, it would always clear his thoughts, because the only thing he could feel was the surging power boiling in his veins. Sometimes, he wondered if Giotto had felt the same thing.

Then, some days later, Byakuran burst into his cell so quickly that Tsuna jumped, startled, and cracked his head on an overhanging part of the wall.

"I found them," Byakuran panted, hovering in the doorway. "I'm going out to intercept them now."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Tsuna demanded, running up, but Byakuran swiftly stepped back, slamming the door shut, lock clicking in place. "Byakuran! Tell me what's happening!"

"Shut up!" Byakuran hissed, casting a look over his shoulder. "Don't go anywhere, and stop making such a fuss! Stay put, I'll come back and get you later."

Before Tsuna could protest, the white-haired man vanished down the hall, yanking his cloak over him and pulling his massive hood up. Frustrated, Tsuna threw himself against the bars, pressing his face right up against the wet, cold metal, but Byakuran rounded around the corner and vanished from view.

Cussing fiercely, Tsuna spun around and kicked at the rock so hard it crumbled.

He wanted out.

He wanted out _now_.

* * *

><p>Reborn staggered out of the portal, yanking a panting Fon with him. Behind them, scaly, writhing hands shot through the portal as well, claws close enough to rip through the sleeve of Fon's robes, but almost as though they were being sucked back by some incredible vacuum, the demons chasing the pair were jerked back, screeching in protest, and the portal shimmered peacefully once again while the hunters collapsed onto the permafrost covered ground, breathing hard.<p>

"That was too close," Fon rasped out once he managed to sit up, inspecting his torn sleeve. "Damn it, they got me."

"Where?" Reborn asked, getting shakily to his feet as well. Fon showed the other his arm, where the fabric of the red robes was ripped from the shoulder down to the elbow. The tear in the cloth revealed Fon's pale shoulder, marked with three cuts that ran vertically down his arm. It ran through a winding tattoo of a dragon that wrapped around his arm, detailed and intricate, vanishing up into his collarbone and extending onto his chest. Reborn examined the cuts before reaching around for his bag, pulling out the bandages.

"It's shallow, you'll be okay," Reborn muttered.

"I know," Fon smiled tiredly. "I'm not as reckless as I used to be, Reborn. This isn't something I can't handle."

"The tat proves otherwise," Reborn prodded, and Fon rolled his eyes, but said nothing. That was the closest thing to humor he had gotten out of Reborn in three weeks, even if it was a dry insult. The hunter was undeniably down and frustrated, and who could blame him? The one person he'd more than willingly give his life for had been taken from him. Fon could tell it was all Reborn could do from ripping out his own hair in frustration.

The land they were on was barren and cold, but there was no wind, so the temperature was all they had to deal with, fortunately. The two hunters glanced around them, and Reborn was about to suggest a direction when a voice behind them said wryly, "I figured you'd be here."

Reborn and Fon both spun around; shocked. Standing before them was Byakuran, who had virtually appeared from nowhere. Reborn's face went from astonishment to pure hate in a matter of milliseconds, and Fon had to physically tackle the dark-haired man to the ground to stop him from mauling the white-haired demon standing before them.

"Byakuran! Where the hell is Tsuna! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"

"That would hardly do you any good," Byakuran responded, looking down at him. "Listen to me. I'm here to take you to Tsuna voluntarily. Don't give me that look, will you? I didn't kidnap him. One of the other higher intelligence demons caught up with you guys. It was a shadow breed, very violent and very stealthy. It's been tailing you since you claimed the blessing of Poseidon."

"Where is that demon?" Reborn growled, writhing against Fon, who was still expertly pinning him to the ground, but through a huge, strenuous effort.

"He's dead," Byakuran said without hesitation, glowing purples eyes boring into Reborn's. "I killed him."

"Why the hell would you kill one of your own?"

"Because he was smart," the other replied. "And he was in my way."

"Of what?"

"Of defeating the King of Hell," Byakuran said, crouching down. "Calm down, Reborn. Tsuna's in the cells of the Underworld at the moment, but he's safe, for now. I explained to him my plan, which was to use your arrival as a distraction to take down the King. I know you think that I kidnapped Tsuna as revenge for you causing Takeshi's death, but that's a different story. Sure, I don't like you at all, but it's the King's fault really. He sent out the demon to raid London. He's responsible for this pile of shit we're all caught up in."

"And you expect me to believe you?" Reborn spat.

Byakuran stood back up. "I'm not expecting you to. But if you want to get to Tsuna as quickly as possible…" he turned, and with a wave of his hand, transformed the portal into a gaping, black hole leading into the tunnel of a cave. "…I'm your best bet."

There was a moment of tense silence, where Reborn glowered at the other and Byakuran crossed his arms, a weary look on his face. Then, Reborn growled, but loosened up, so Fon carefully released the dark-haired hunter. Both men stood up, and Reborn faced the demon.

"Fine. I don't care anymore. Take us in."

"With pleasure," Byakuran muttered, and ducked through the black hole. Fon gave Reborn a cautious look, but the other simply shrugged, picked up their bags and ducked in as well. Fon sighed before following. The moment he stepped through, the portal vanished behind them, revealing another stretch of tunnel leading away into blackness. Byakuran clenched his fists, and a second later, a bundle of purple fire burst forth on his palms, and he jerked his head forwards.

"This way."

The walk was mostly in silence, with the sound of their footsteps echoing lightly against the walls. The tunnel tilted up after a while, and a moment later, Byakuran ducked into a small trail branching off from the main underpass, leading to a thick wooden door. He pushed it open slowly, peeking out. When nothing was heard, he opened the door fully and led them into a cramped storeroom.

"How does that work?" Fon whispered, staring around as the door swung shut behind them.

"The Underworld is essentially made up of many, many moving segments," Byakuran replied, pushing a giant tapestry of an ancient fire demon demolishing a town aside with a grimace on his face. "Things are constantly changing down here. A doorway leading to one place may not be going there the next day. You could enter the Underworld from say, Iceland, but your next exit could lead you to Africa. Because of these constant changes, there must be compensation; which is time. Every time you pass through to a different room, or enter a different place, time will warp itself, which is why it's best not to wander off too often. You could easily lose yourself in this place."

"Great to know," Reborn grumbled, hiking his bag up.

"This way," Byakuran said, ignoring the comment, and located a trapdoor next to a crate of dusty statues. Dropping into another cramped tunnel, they walked until Byakuran opened up another doorway. This time, they found themselves in a grand hallway, the ceiling high and decorated. Torches burning blue fire illuminated the hall with a depressing glow. There was a giant fountain spewing a frothing black liquid in the middle of the room, and at the very end of the hall, a massive iron throne sat majestically upon carpets and raised platforms.

"This is—"

"The throne room," Byakuran hissed. "This is where I leave you, the King is arriving. Act surprised, do _not_ tell him I helped you! I swear to fucking god that this is your best chance of destroying the King!"

"You're leaving?" Reborn snarled, grabbing Byakuran by the front of his cloak. "You fucking rat, you've set us up!"

"I haven't!" Byakuran shot back, trying to yank himself loose. "I told you; my one goal is to avenge Takeshi's death. What good is killing you or your boyfriend? The Demon King was the one who ruined everything, and if you don't let me go now, you're going to mess everything up!"

"You—" Reborn retorted, but suddenly, the temperatures in the room dropped by ten degrees, and they all froze. Before the two hunters could do anything, Byakuran glowed in a fierce purple haze, and vanished into nothing.

"Damn it!" Reborn cussed just as the giant oak doors at the end of the hall burst open and the elongated room was flooded with bold, orange firelight. A towering figure of over six feet walked into the room, his ice cold eyes sweeping over the two hunters, a cruel smile on his face. He was wearing a black cloak, but underneath, he wore a midnight blue tunic and dark, glided pants tucked into dragonskin boots. A gleaming, ruby encrusted sword hung from his waist and a shimmering pendant with a blood red diamond set into it dangled from his neck. His thick fingers were adorned with multiple rings and nails were long and curled. His hair was tied back into a ponytail, and when he walked up to the two hunters, there was a look of slight surprise and amusement on his face.

"Reborn," the demon rumbled. "Welcome to the Underworld."

"Where the fuck is Tsuna?" Reborn snarled, hands clenching into fists. The demon's aura was massively overpowering, but the dark-haired man refused to back down. Fon twitched beside him, but the martial artist had his eyes trained on the demon as well, watching his every move. The massive monster raised an eyebrow before throwing his head back and laughing coldly.

"Always going to the point, no? But how rude of me, I haven't even introduced myself yet. I am Abaddon, King of the Underworld." He walked over and seated himself on the iron throne, and with a wave of his hand, produced a table full of roasted pigs, grilled meats, plates of giant smoked fish, and goblets of wine. "You must be tired after your journey. Why don't you dine with me? Your friend too, if he wishes. I have an excellent selection of—"

Reborn reached into his jacket, and in one swift motion, pulled out his gun and pointed it right at Abaddon. "I don't think you get it, you bastard. Where. The fuck. Is Tsuna."

The Demon King looked down and sighed, glancing over at the table of food before fixing Reborn with a cold look. "And here I was hoping we could have a civilized conversation."

"Keep talking and I'll show you an example what civilized _isn't_," Reborn snarled, hand completely steady. Abaddon tilted his chin up, unflinching at the sight of a gun pointed at him, and clicked his fingers. From one of the doorways leading out of the hall, there was a scuffling sound, and two giant, burly security trolls came in, dragging a bound and gagged Tsuna with them. At once, two bullets nailed the monsters, and they collapsed in pain, grabbing at their wounds. Tsuna fell to the floor with a muffled yelp.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Abaddon called, and suddenly, Byakuran burst out of the door opposite to the room, grabbed Tsuna, and pulled out a blade, holding it right at the teen's neck.

"Don't move," the white-haired man warned, eyes glowing.

"Damn it," Fon hissed, "Reborn, don't shoot!"

Reborn glared, burning holes at Byakuran, who shook his head ever so slightly. Then, his eyes dropped to Tsuna, who was staring at him, eyes wide, but…not out of fear. It was as though the teen was actually indicating for Reborn to lower his weapon.

_Tsuna, you idiot, are you really just going to trust that guy…?_ Reborn thought in exasperation, but he carefully placed his gun down on the floor, holding his hands back.

"Kick it to me," Byakuran instructed, and Reborn complied. The weapon slid over to the white-haired man, who pushed it to the side.

"Bags off."

The hunters exchanged looks, but loosened their packs and threw them to the side of the hall.

"Now then," Abaddon said, leaning back, a satisfied look on his face. "Let's get down to business."

"What is your deal?" Reborn growled, turning to the King of Hell. "Why did you kidnap Tsuna?"

"Come now, a man of your caliber should figure this out quickly," Abaddon smiled. "Kidnapping a child when I could have been easily destroying your element pretty much gives everything away, you know. I needed to have a talk with you, so I picked the quickest, most efficient way to invite you to the Underworld."

"And what, pray tell, do you want to talk about?" Reborn snarled through gritted teeth.

"I won't bore you with the details," Abaddon dismissed with a wave of his hand. "But I will inform you on one thing. Times are on the move, and there is this silly notion of a war coming up. Well, I don't deny that my demons are all geared up and ready for an invasion to rid the world of the pests known as humans, but even then, I have grown bored of ruling this world. Instead, I am interested in observing the upcoming future, to step back and watch the world unfold into chaos. However, the throne of Hell cannot be empty. My objective of having you here today is simple. I am offering to you, Reborn, my throne, my demons, and my title as King of Hell."

There was a stunned silence. Byakuran and Tsuna both stared at Reborn in utter shock, and Fon shouted out, "You're insane!"

"Silence, mortal!" Abaddon boomed, and the entire hall shook. "Consider it, Reborn," he continued, his voice low and soothing once more. "A world for you to command. Every force in the Underworld will bow down to you. You, and you alone, will control everything beneath the surface of the earth."

Reborn stared at the demon. He could not believe what he was hearing. "You—you have _got_ to be fucking kidding me."

"Does this look like a joke to you?" Abaddon growled, sweeping his arm across the room. "This is your destiny, Reborn. Embrace it!"

"Why me?" the dark-haired man countered fiercely. "Why, of all people, did you choose me?"

"Because you, and you alone, have a gift! The gift of indifference, of cold-blood, of an iron fist, of unshakeable willpower! I have seen your past, Reborn. You were a child bred in captivity, borne for the sake of killing. Your parents abandoned you to the hands of killers who trained you to take lives. You were holding a gun before you could talk, you were taught to kill men before you could walk. And when you escaped from their clutches, you lived off the blood of those you murdered. Your life is a never ending cycle of murder and crime. And what better mortal to take over my title than one who will not hesitate to condemn those favourable to the angle of death with their own hands? You, mortal, are the prime candidate for this throne."

Reborn stood very still. He did not speak, but his lips were white and there was blood trickling from his palms as he nails dug into his skin. Fon was breathing hard, eyes darting between his friend and the Demon King. Tsuna sat, unmoving, his wide brown eyes on Reborn. Byakuran exhaled slowly.

"I think you're mistaken."

Reborn's voice rang loud and clear around the hall, and though it did not shake, his anger and hatred could be heard within his words. "Yes, I was taught to kill. Yes, I have killed dozens, hundreds of men as a child. Yes, my existence was supposed to be for nothing but murder and assassinations. But that was in the past. My past does not matter here, nor did it ever have a chance to shape who I am. And here, the me of the present will tell you one thing: I'll inherit your throne over my _fucking_ dead body."

Abaddon's face shadowed. He sat back, exhaling heavily, and crooked his finger. Byakuran dragged Tsuna up at once, taking the gun with him, knife held tightly against the teen's throat. "I think, Reborn, that you have been hindered," Abaddon said lowly. "This half-breed piece of trash has undeniably been obstructing your potential. I have seen the way you fight. I sent the demon to London to _test_ you, and I was not disappointed. You will be the one to take over my title."

Reborn's heart nearly stopped in his chest. Abaddon had sent the demon to London because of him? The whole fiasco, the cause of Yamamoto and Alaude's deaths, was the works of this bastard?

"I have no tolerance for things that get in my way," Abaddon growled, and he turned to Byakuran, whose face had gone very pale. "Byakuran! Dispose of this trash for me!"

"NO!" Reborn and Fon shouted, staring forwards at once, but Byakuran yanked Tsuna to his feet and yelled back, the tiniest hint of a quiver in his voice. "Move and he dies!"

The hunters froze, and Tsuna jerked madly in Byakuran's clutch. The knife was still pressed tightly against his throat. "What are you waiting for?" Abaddon snarled. "Kill the brat!"

Byakuran closed his eyes momentarily, and when he opened them again, he was looking directly at Reborn. For a second, the hunter could see an endless pool of hurt and pain upon the demon's realization of how Yamamoto had died, but a second later, it was replaced by determined fury.

"Nah," Byakuran said clearly. "I don't think so, Abaddon."

With those words, the white-haired man dropped the gun, kicked it towards Reborn, and sliced through Tsuna's ropes in a graceful arc before spinning around and stabbing his knife right into Abaddon's leg. The king of Hell bellowed in surprise and pain, leaping up at once, black blood running down his leg. Reborn grabbed Tsuna at once, arms enveloping the teen in a tight hold, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Against him, Tsuna almost sobbed, throwing his arms around his boyfriend.

"Run!" Byakuran shouted, and the four of them took off at a sprint down the hall. Behind them, Abaddon's roars and curses echoed against the walls. There was a bone-shattering _boom_, and to everybody's horror, a familiar reptilian screech could be heard over the noise and yells.

"God damn it, he's called a dragon!" Byakuran shouted, dodging falling chunks of rocks and crumbling earth that fell from the ceiling. They ran, dodging and ducking through various doorways, hearing the beast chase after them, destroying the halls and tunnels in its attempt to hunt them down. The white-haired man came to a stop at one section of an empty hall, feeling the rough stone and earth with his calloused fingers before pounding his fists on the wall. The demon hissed, and then, drew back his arm, his entire body enveloped in a purple haze, and punched through the rock. Tsuna, Reborn, and Fon watched with hanging jaws as the wall crumbled and fell away into nothing, revealing an empty, cylinder-shaped tunnel going vertically upwards.

"What is this?"

"An abandoned air shaft!" Byakuran shouted, waving the dust off. "Hurry up!"

The three wasted no time. They scrambled into the wide, spacious tunnel, and followed Byakuran, who led them to a carved set of winding stairs that ran all the way to the top, where a distant spot of white could be seen.

This was their ticket to freedom.

Behind them, the cave shook with the roar of the dragon and its violent attempts to remodel the underground walls. "Shit," Byakuran panted, "Faster!"

The hunters picked up their pace, climbing the dizzying flights of roughly hewn stairs, tripping over uneven steps and jumping over gaps of broken stairway. Dust fell from the walls and they group was halfway up to the top when the dragon finally clawed its way into the vent.

"Damn it!" Reborn snarled, hands tightening on his gun.

"Keep going!" Byakuran shouted, but at that moment, the dragon reared back, only several feet beneath them, and smashed its wings, tail, and body against the sides of the shaft. The cave shuddered viciously and parts of the wall crumbled in, heavy chunks of stone and earth collapsing all around them. They all staggered, losing their footing on the already uneven stairs, and a particularly giant boulder broke free, falling straight towards them.

"Look out!" Fon yelled, and they threw themselves at the wall, but the rock was too big. It hit the set of stairs they were standing on, a hair's width from crushing the hunters, and smashed through the steps. "No!" Tsuna cried, and they ran forwards, stumbling and tripping as their footholds collapsed beneath their feet. Fon, Reborn, and Tsuna managed to stagger onto solid rock, but Byakuran was a footstep too far, and in an instant, he was falling with the crumbling stairway. Tsuna, with his unnerving demon instinct, spun around and grabbed Byakuran's arm, and in turn, was dragged downwards. Reborn turned and tackled Tsuna to the floor with a grunt, desperately trying to pull the two falling demons back, and Fon grabbed for Reborn's leg, grinding his heels into the stone, his hand scabbing against the wall for a solid hold. A moment later, they were a dangerous human chain, with Byakuran dangling in open space, Tsuna half-hanging off the edge, Reborn lying flat on his stomach, holding tightly to Tsuna, and Fon with his hand wrapped around Reborn's ankle, straining to hold them all up.

Below them, the dragon looked up and roared, opening its mouthful of razor sharp fangs.

"Fuck," Byakuran cussed, swinging slowly back and forth. "Damn it, Tsuna let go!"

"Are you insane?" Tsuna shrieked, squeezing tighter. "You'll die! I'm not letting go!"

"You'll die with me!" Byakuran retorted. "Let me go! I'm not worth all the lives in the world that'll die if you fall with me!"

"Well, fuck you, that doesn't mean we're going to let you fall!" Reborn snarled, risking one arm to reach out and grab at the stairway. "Don't you dare give up now!"

"Grab my other hand, Byakuran!" Tsuna pleaded, reaching out with his other arm. "Do it! Please!"

Byakuran stared up at the teen, whose wide brown eyes were begging for him to hold on, and exhaled. Mustering up all his willpower, Byakuran swung his left arm up, palm slapping against Tsuna's—

—and thrust a shard of broken blade into the brunette's hand. Tsuna yelped, grabbing at it before the piece could fall. "W-what is this? What are you doing?"

"It's a piece of Takeshi's sword!" Byakuran shouted over the dragon's roars. "I infused it with the essence of a _palantír_, a powerful seeing stone! Take it with you! It'll guide you in your darkest moment!"

"I don't need this!" Tsuna yelled, "Give me your hand!"

But Byakuran stubbornly shook his head. "Drop me!"

"Never!"

"Do it!"

The dragon reared and slammed its shoulder against the wall, and there was another bone-jarring shudder that passed through the entire shaft the shook the four desperate demons and hunters to the core. Fon shouted as he lost his grip on the wall, and Tsuna screamed as they all slid forwards before Fon, scrabbling for the wall so desperately his fingernails ripped off at the force tearing against him, finally found a solid grip. Byakuran grunted painfully he jerked in mid-air, and Reborn held onto Tsuna even tighter.

"Byakuran! Please!" Tsuna yelled. The white-haired man looked down as the dragon tilted its head up, huge, yellowed eyes burning into him. When he glanced upwards at the three hunters holding him up, they all understood what was going to happen next.

"For fuck's sake, Byakuran, don't do it!" Reborn roared.

"Sorry," Byakuran whispered, and wrenched his hand from Tsuna's grasp.

"NO!" Tsuna screamed, lunging forwards, but Byakuran was already falling. And behind him, the dragon surged upwards, so close they could almost count the scales on its snout, its jaws opening, and the rows of gleaming fangs closed down upon—

Tsuna jerked as Byakuran's blood splattered over his face and painted the entire side of the broken stairs in red, eyes going wide as he watched a severed arm fall out of the dragon's clenched jaws to the ground below. Reborn groaned, closing his eyes and whispering, "_Fuck!_" into Tsuna's back. Fon made a noise in his throat, a cross between an anguished hiss a pained whimper, but the dragon leaning back for another strike shook the hunters from their states of shock. Fon pulled, Reborn yanked, and together, they successfully pulled Tsuna up from the edge of the broken stairs.

"Run," Fon shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls. "_Run!_"

They ran.

They didn't look back.

Their feet stumbled and scraped against the stone, but nobody stopped until they threw themselves out of the circular hole at the top and went flying out into a span of open space. Several feet away was a thick forest, twittering with birds, small animals, and host to a gleaming portal. They didn't ask where it was going, nor did they consider what might be on the other side, but luck, it seemed, helped them out this time. As Tsuna, Reborn, and Fon jumped through the gateway, they came bursting out into a sparse alleyway in a familiar setting and the sounds of a busy crowd passing by on the main street.

Fon looked around, panting hard, and stammered, "China. We're back in China."

"The temple," Reborn said. "We don't have our things; we'll just have to find another two-way mirror and try to contact them."

Fon nodded, and as they walked down the alleyway, Reborn turned and tugged on his torn sleeve, gently wiping the blood of Tsuna's face.

"Tsuna," Reborn whispered, taking the shocked teen's chin in his hand. "Hey, Tsuna, look at me."

Shaking slightly, the brunette complied, eyes still wide open, a glassy look in them. Reborn brushed the soft bangs back and tucked Tsuna into a light, secure hug. "I'm sorry, Tsuna. We did our best. He's okay now. He'll be okay."

Tsuna shuddered, the blade pressing into his palm tightly, but he tried to nod, choking back sobs that were threatening to rise up in this throat. "It—it's just—" he whimpered, his other hand clutching at Reborn's arm. "He—Byakuran—he had so much more—I don't think he would have wanted to meet Yamamoto like this," he finally managed to stutter out. "I think—Byakuran would have wanted to go down fighting, instead of—of leaving the world in some godforsaken hole, and—"

"He did go down fighting," Reborn said firmly, sighing heavily into Tsuna's hair. "He was a part of the resistance. Wherever he may have died, it wasn't in vain. I will _not_ take Abaddon's throne. Ever. I won't be tempted by that kind of power."

Tsuna looked up and nodded, tears in his eyes. "I know," he whispered. "I know you're better than that."

Reborn smiled tiredly down at the teen, ruffling Tsuna's hair, but at that moment, Fon came running towards them, a rare look of panic on his face.

"You two have to come," he panted. "Look at this; look outside _right now_."

Reborn and Tsuna exchanged worried looks and hurried out after Fon. When they ran out into the busy street, there was nothing out of the ordinary at first. The village was bustling with life and business, vendors calling out to passer-bys and people shopping for their dinners or daily needs. The afternoon sun was blazing in the sky, and the air was thick with heat. Cicadas buzzed loudly, its sound echoing in the haze, and that was when Reborn paled, apparently realizing something.

"No," he whispered, turning to Fon. The raven shook his head, staring helplessly at the dark-haired man.

"Look at this."

Fon thrust a rolled up newspaper into Reborn's hand, and Tsuna leaned in, confused.

"What's going on? What's the matter?"

"Tsuna," Reborn said slowly, running a hand over his face. "Do you remember how long you were stuck in jail before we found you?"

Tsuna blinked. "I—Byakuran told me it was three to five days…about a week. Why?"

"Tsuna," Fon said quietly. "It took Reborn and I three _weeks_ to travel into Iceland. And when we ran into Byakuran, he told us that time warps in the Underworld because it was a different dimension. As we move through different parts of the underground, time _changes_."

"Time…changes?" Tsuna repeated. "But—"

"I'm guessing the transition in the shaft screwed things over," Reborn muttered. "Damn it…we're fucked."

Tsuna opened his mouth, still confused, but when his gaze landed on the date at the top of the newspaper, he understood at once. And when he did, he could feel his stomach vanishing, to be replaced by a feeling of stone-cold horror.

When he'd been captured, it had been in the middle of January; winter time.

The date read _June 11__th_.

Their trip to the Underworld had distorted their sense of time in the Overworld.

They had been out of commission…

…for _six months_.

* * *

><p>Well, here we are; another twist in the story! What will they do now? Almost half a year has been wasted, noooo~ and if you haven't figured out…they've been gone for six months…and six months ago…someone was revealed to be three months along…eeeeh, I can't spoil the surprise. Let's just say I'm still completely open to suggestions to Lal and Colonello's kid's gender~~<p>

If I remember correctly, it's 3 recommendations for a boy, 1 for a girl, and 1 for twins. I knew a twin suggestion was going to come up xD I actually love the idea of having twins~ might be troublesome for Lal and Colonello though, haha.

And I'm sorry. I killed Byakuran. In a really gruesome way too. Originally, he was just going to fall and die, but…the dragon was there. I couldn't resist :') I'm a horrible person… -shuns myself to corner-

And, ahn…I realized that I swear a lot. I know it's not a very nice thing…but that's the way I roll. I think I should really cut back . Gah, it's like a poison ;_;

In any case…thank you for reading! Chapter Nine will come soon, promise!

-BlackStar


	9. Chapter 9

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

You know that seminar I was talking about for the past two chapters? Yeah, I've literally _nothing_ on it. Nothing. Zip. Blank. Nada. I know I'm going to regret that very, very, very soon :')

This is Chapter Nine. I hope you guys like it! ^^"

Song of the day: The Suicide Circus (the GazettE)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Nine<p>

The temple was worse for wear when they finally stumbled upon their home. It was still the same majestic red building that gave them a comforting sense of welcome, but there were obvious signs of attack upon it. The stone steps were littered with rubble and the two statues at the front were broken into dozens of pieces. The gardens were no longer filled with blooming plants or small animals, but hosted piles of bricks, stones, and two massive catapults. The monks were walking around the area in pairs of twos, holding spears and wearing bronze breastplates. Tsuna, Reborn, and Fon all stared at the temple when they finally arrived at the doorway, stunned at the amount of change that had been made in half a year's time. The war was so very nearly upon them.

"Brothers!"

All three hunters spun around to see Dino and Basil run up to them, a look of shock and intense relief on their faces.

"Dino! Basil!" Fon said, hurrying over at once. Tsuna and Reborn followed. Tsuna bit his lip when he saw how worn down the two looked; Dino's hair had grown out long enough to be tied back into a ragged ponytail and Basil had a temporary medical eye patch over his right eye. Their arms were bandaged and they too, held spears. It was also a painful reminder of how much time had been lost.

"You're back, you're alright," Dino said in relief, clasping each of their hands. "Good grief, you better go in at once, the others would be delighted to see you!"

"I don't think delighted would be the right word," Reborn sighed, but he jerked his head up to the open doors. "Let's go."

The inside of the temple had also changed. For once, the decorative statues, paintings, and bookshelves had been packed away to be replaced by a massive collection of spears, swords, and rifles ready to be used at any time. Torches were burning daily in dishes hanging from the ceiling, and even inside, people rushed about, glancing nervously at the sky, as though anticipating attacks.

"What's happened to the temple?" Fon asked breathlessly, watching two monks carry a giant crate outside.

"A lot, my brother," Dino winced. "Attacks upon the temple have been growing frequent and harsh. We've had to rebuild several parts of the hall from the outside and we're always on guard. We've armed every open space and are developing defence tactics around the forest and river."

"I see," Fon said quietly, glancing up at the temple that suddenly looked much older and bent. "Take good care of this place, Dino. It's not only our home, but it was Luce's as well."

"Of course, brother. This way." Dino motioned them into the dining hall, and there they all were.

Mukuro was leaning over a giant map spread over two tables with Verde, his foot heavily bandaged, and was currently conversing with the green-haired man about the possibility of setting up a defensive perimeter around the river running down from the mountain. Near the back, Lal was sitting with Colonello, fixing something in a giant sniper rifle while her husband handed her tools, balancing a toolbox and a weird bag-like thing in his other arm. The hunters were all so busy they didn't notice the group that had entered the hall until Dino gave the new arrivals a tentative smile, and cleared his throat before casually slipping out of the hall. Basil gave Tsuna a small wave.

Eight pairs of eyes snapped up to them, and widened. Lal dropped her screwdriver with a clunk and Mukuro pulled his glasses off, staring.

"Ahn…" Fon said softly, hesitantly, "We're back."

And all hell broke loose. Verde got to them first, and went right for Reborn. He shoved the dark-haired man up against the wall by his collar while Reborn snarled and shoved back, tussling violently.

"Jackass!" Reborn shouted fiercely. "What are you—?"

"WHERE IN GOD'S NAME HAVE YOU THREE BEEN?" Verde bellowed, spinning around now to grab Fon by the arm, a furious look in his eye. "You imbeciles! You've been missing for six months! And you have the audacity to show up now!"

"We couldn't help it!" Fon retorted, "Time in the Underworld warps in ways you don't understand! Believe me; I didn't know how much time had passed until I saw the newspaper in the village!"

"This is the exact reason why I hate all of you," Verde growled, stepping back, a strange look in his eye. "You all are the single most idiotic group of people I have ever encountered in my whole life!"

"Don't mind him," Colonello suddenly called out from the table. "He's just trying really hard not to cry." He offered them a lopsided grin, putting down his tools and walking over with the weird package, holding Lal's hand. Lal herself looked angry, but when she walked over to the three previously missing hunters, she just huffed and reached over to wipe a smidge of dust off Fon's face.

"Assholes," she growled. "You had no idea how worried we were!"

"I second that," Mukuro said dryly. "You've missed my spectacular show of losing my foot for a third time. But Verde can tell you all about it."

"To hell I will!" Verde cussed, but he didn't sound too upset. There was a moment when they all stood, a bit awkwardly, but then all burst into laughter. There was just something in the air; a huge slice of tension had completely dispersed and suddenly, all of them felt happier than the first time in ages. Well, for the Overworld group, they were finally reunited with three friends whom they thought they would probably never see again. Tsuna, Reborn, and Fon were just really glad to be home.

"Colonello," Reborn said suddenly, squinting at the awkward bundle in the blonde's arms, "What the hell are you holding?"

To the new arrivals' surprise, Colonello blushed a little, smiling a genuine smile. "Damn, I almost forgot how long it's been, kora. Don't drop him please," he added as he extended the bundle out, which, up close, proved to be wrapped in a soft, blueish blanket. Reborn raised an eyebrow, suddenly reluctant to take it.

"What, is it going to bite me?"

"No, he's got no teeth yet," Lal rolled her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching.

"Is that—" Fon leaned over, and his eyes widened. He raised a hand to cover his mouth, pointing between Lal and Colonello. "You—you two—"

"Told you it's been a while," Colonello joked, smirking at Reborn. He gently brushed a bit of blanket aside, and pushed the bundle into an extremely confused Reborn's arms. The bundle wiggled, and to the hunter's astonishment, a beautiful baby boy yawned up at him. Tsuna, looking over Reborn's arm, clapped his hands to his mouth and half-shouted, "It's a boy! He's so cute! It's Lal and Colonello's son, Reborn!" he added excitedly, tugging on Reborn's arm like a child seeing a favourite toy.

"Why am I holding this!" Reborn stuttered out, looking up at Colonello and back down at the baby.

"Don't be so flustered, Reborn, it's only a baby," Tsuna chided, gently reaching out to brush several strands of soft, almost white-blonde hair back from a smooth forehead. The baby whined and squirmed a little again, opening a giant pair of stunningly familiar baby blue eyes. It was a lot like looking at an extremely younger version of Colonello, but the shape of the boy's chin and the slightly disgruntled expression on his face was clearly his mother's. It was so surreal, seeing such an innocent soul in the midst of such dark times. The baby murmured, hiccupping cutely, and then closed his eyes, back to his afternoon nap. Reborn was staring at the boy with a mixture of interest and utter disbelief, which was rather amusing to look at.

"Here," Tsuna said lightly, easing the hunter from his dilemma by taking the baby into his own arms, rocking the bundle gently. "He's so light," he said to Lal and Colonello. The blonde grinned. "He'll weigh up soon enough. He's going to be a tough little boy, kora."

"What's his name?" Fon asked, smiling down at the baby.

"Dante," Lal replied. "It means _endearing_."

"Fitting," Fon laughed, eyes crinkling. "I'm happy for the two of you."

"Not sure why anything that looks like Colonello would be appealing," Reborn snorted, "But I think the boy looks prettier than his father."

"Hey, that's mean, asshole!" Colonello protested, but Lal rolled her eyes and bonked him on the back of the head.

"Shut up, fool, he's only saying that to provoke you."

"As wonderful as this reunion is," Verde interrupted, clearing his throat. "There's something more important that we need to get a move on."

"Right," Lal said briskly, taking Dante from Colonello's arms, her expression suddenly dark. "We succeeded in gathering the last two elements while the three of you were missing."

"All of them?" Tsuna gasped, eyes widening.

"That's right," Mukuro said, "And now that you three _are_ back, we can successfully summon the Overking." His words hung heavily in the air.

This was it. The final step of their mission.

The elements were stored away in the same underground room as the scriptures had been in. From the moment they entered, the powerful wave of energy could be felt. The elements were placed on a small table in the center of the room. The water droplet swirled slowly, soothingly while the flames burned fitfully, as though it was having a seizure. The earth element was single seed with a tiny greet sprout protruding from its solid shell. The scent of grass and soil wafted up to them. Lastly, the air element was nearly invisible; recognized only by a giant black feather tossing and turning in the air, as though invisible currents were holding it afloat. The smell of ozone filled the small space.

"Look at that," Reborn said quietly, walking around to stare at the elements.

"Let's get into a circle," Verde instructed. They did; crowding around and bumping into others in the small space. Tsuna stood next to Reborn, feeling his skin crawl. Fon was directly opposite him, and in the dark space, the glow of the elements cast a shadow over everyone's faces. The raven reached out and nudged the elements together, exhaling softly.

"Overking, Ruler of the Heavens," Fon said softly. "Accept this offering and acknowledge our summons."

Predictably, nothing happened for a nerve-wracking pause. Then, the seed started to tremble. Before anybody could prepare for what happened next, the tiny sprout started to grow. It was not elegant or peaceful; in fact, the plant exploded from the shell and started to literally mutilate at a violent place. Verde and Mukuro yelled as they were thrown backwards; pinned against the wall by the thick stem of the rapidly growing plant. The roots were puncturing through the concrete floor of the underground, ripping up the stone slabs and shaking the ground.

"What's going on?" Colonello shouted as he and Lal rushed forwards to help the two trapped hunters, but they too were suddenly attacked. The air element on the table had suddenly turned into a full-out hurricane, the winds tossing the couple aside like they were rag dolls, the air pressure holding them down against the shuddering floor. At the same time, the water and fire elements reacted similarly; Reborn and Tsuna were downed by a huge wave of sea water that exploded from the innocent looking droplet, soaking them to their bones, roughly washing them up against the wall on the far left. Tsuna coughed and spluttered as he went under multiple times; coughing on the water he inhaled. Reborn's hand found the teen's collar and hauled him up, pulling Tsuna against his chest as the two were bobbed up and down in the column of water. Furthest away, Fon had been backed up against the wall, a ring of fire encasing him in, the heat searing away at the scriptures stored in the shelves and sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air.

Through the sudden onslaught of attacks by the elements, a white haze rose from the table, slow and steady in contrast to the conflict around the room. Within the smoke, an image started to form in a near ghost-like state. The white wisps thickened, forming a chest, broad shoulders and a head. The image of a man appeared, wearing a cloak over his armor, the thick material fastened by a sun-shaped pin. His face was aging but strong, with crinkles in the corner of his solemn eyes. He had whiskers on his chin and jaw, giving him the look of a typical veteran hunter, but a mysterious scar on his neck that consistently changed into different shapes proved him to be a supernatural being.

This was the Overking.

His eyes took in the hunters in the room, trapped under various states of the element's attacks, and exhaled heavily. When he spoke, his voice was low and deep, each word punctuated and clear. "Who are you all?"

"Sir!" Colonello shouted, straining to keep his body off the floor. "We are students of the High Spirit Luce, and we summon your for help!"

"Help?" the King repeated, turning his head towards the blonde. "What kind of help does the doomed race of mankind need of me?"

"There is a war fast approaching!" Fon shouted, holding his sleeve against his face. "The Demon King, Abaddon, will ruin the earth's natural balance if he takes over! We need your help in this fight."

"We came to uphold the duties passed down to us by Luce," Verde gritted out as the plant continued to constrict around him.

"I speak in the place of Mammon," Mukuro added, the slight shake in his voice betraying his pain as his bad leg was twisted. "We can't win the war alone!"

"For the sake of all those unaware of the situation around us, and for the future generation," Lal shouted out, and Tsuna's heart flipped over. This would be directly affecting baby Dante. It would affect _every_ innocent soul.

"Go to battle with us," Reborn said suddenly, his voice rumbling in his chest against Tsuna's back. "Please."

"We have to protect the human race," Tsuna added, "and we have to fight so that those who died because of this war will not be forgotten for their sacrifice."

Judging by the way Reborn's arm tightened around Tsuna's torso, the elder was thinking the same way too. Memories of Yamamoto vanishing underneath the collapsing house, Alaude dying of his wounds, and Byakuran falling back into Hell were playing themselves over and over again in Tsuna's mind.

The Overking remained quiet for a moment, his eyes moving from hunter to hunter, almost as though he was looking right through them. Then, he hummed quietly and said, "I understand your predicament. Indeed, you will be facing Abaddon's wrath and overcoming him will be difficult. Mankind is mortal; and with the war approaching, it is possible that this entire race will be wiped out if you do not succeed."

There was a pause, during all of which the hunters held their breath. Tsuna swallowed, throat feeling like sandpaper. Behind him, he could feel Reborn's heartbeat skipping over itself, as though in a haste.

"But that is the nature of the humans; they will die. Why should something doomed to end eventually be saved? It'll only drag out the inevitable."

"What?" Colonello, Lal, Verde and Reborn all burst out, stunned.

"What are you saying?" Mukuro shouted, eyes narrowing.

"This does not concern me," the Overking rumbles, leaning back so that his smoky figure rippled. "I have seen many races come and go since the beginning of time. Humans are no different."

"So you're just going to let everything fall and burn?" Tsuna screamed, his heart plummeting with every spoken word. This wasn't happening. It _couldn't_ be happening.

The Overking turned his piercing gaze on Tsuna. "No," he answered. "_You_ will let everything fall and burn, because you humans will be the ones to fail; not I."

"You—you're despicable!" Lal cried, a pained and thunderous expression on her face.

"Is that so?" the figure asked, not even a flicker of emotion his majestic face.

"Fuck you," Fon growled suddenly, and that shocked all the hunters into stunned silence. The smiling, easygoing, gentle Fon was swearing, and it was obvious that if he hadn't been restrained by the flames, he would have found some way to kill the ghostly figure.

"I am not obligated to help any of you," the Overking said quietly. "And I do not see any reason as to why I should."

"Then GO!" Reborn suddenly shouted, a feral, vicious expression on his face. "If you won't help us, then we'll help ourselves!"

"Indeed," the figure said, still as stone. "It is your grave, hunter." and with those words, the King of Heaven faded away as the smoke dissipated into nothing. The moment the ghost vanished, the elements suddenly fell. The plant crumpled in upon itself; its thick stem withering away into a sad, shriveled vine. The whirling air stopped, a slow, pointless breeze slowly easing away into nothing. The fire died out just as quickly as though deprived of oxygen, falling into a small ring of ash around Fon. The powerful waves were suddenly nothing but puddles on the ground, reflecting nothing but the blackness of the ceiling.

The hunters slowly pulled themselves to their feet, taking in the mess around them. Nobody spoke. The once powerful and majestic elements were nothing but piles of broken pieces on the floor, spent and wasted. There was a heavy silence in the air. Lal moved to Colonello, who hugged his wife tightly, burying his face into her hair. Mukuro sat unmoving on the floor, a blank expression on his face, and Verde leaned down, emotionless as well, offering his arm to the doctor, who took it hesitantly. Fon stood where he was, eyes burning against the wall against the opposite wall. A sudden movement next to Tsuna startled him, and to his surprise, Reborn was storming from the room, slamming the door on the way out.

It was so unlike the dark-haired man to lose his temper that Tsuna didn't think twice about following him; he ran after Reborn all the way up to their old room, and by the time he was down the hall, he could hear sounds of demolishment in the bedroom.

"Reborn!" Tsuna cried, running in, only to fly to the ground to avoid getting hit by a chair that crashed into the wall. "Reborn! Stop!"

The elder paid no attention. Tsuna was forced to glue himself to the wall as Reborn grabbed the coffee table and threw it sideways, letting the cups and teapot slide to the floor with a smash. Glass and porcelain shattered on the floor with a high-pitched tinkle, the sound ringing on as Reborn dragged the books off the bookshelf, tearing them apart from their spine, pages flying everywhere like falling leaves. Down went the vase, another chair, their pillows and blanket, but when Reborn finally turned with an animalistic roar and punched through the window, breaking glass and cutting through skin, Tsuna leapt up, throwing his arms around Reborn and dragged him back with surprising strength.

"Stop it! Don't hurt yourself!"

"Let go!" Reborn snarled, flinging Tsuna off, only to have the brunette tackle him onto the mattress.

"No!" Tsuna shouted back, grabbing Reborn's bleeding hand. "You'll just hurt yourself! Calm down!"

"How the hell do I calm down?" Reborn grounded out. "The Overking was our one last, desperate hope. We failed. He won't be helping us in this war. Do you really think we'll have a chance?"

"Yes," Tsuna replied firmly, squeezing Reborn's hand.

"It's a lost cause!"

"It's not lost if there is but one fool left fighting for it!" Tsuna retorted, and Reborn looked as though he wanted to say something back scathingly, but then, the dark-haired man sagged, looking tiredly up at the younger.

"All I've ever seen in my life is lives leaving me," Reborn said quietly, his good hand coming up to brush Tsuna's hair back. "The battlefield is horrible. And we all know it; some of us will die in this war. Abaddon will do his best to wipe us out, and you know what? His chances of victory are pretty high right now."

"I know," Tsuna whispered, resting his chin on Reborn's chest. "But that doesn't mean we won't go down fighting. For the sake of the next generation, we have to go on, like Lal said. Kids like baby Dante can't grow up in a hopeless world. We have to fight for that; for them, and for the people who died because of Abaddon's greed for power."

Reborn surveyed Tsuna for a moment. "Tsuna…I might not be able to keep my promise once we get out there," he said, his voice breaking a little at the end. "It—I don't even know…I can't let you die. I can't."

"I won't die," Tsuna said firmly. "So you can't either. That's a promise, alright?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow, but he pulled Tsuna up so that the brunette was the one hovering over him. "Promise."

Their lips met again for what felt like the first time in years. Tsuna moved up so that his elbows were resting on either side of Reborn's head as the other traced circles on the brunette's lower back, slowly, soothingly. Their tongues slid against once another's, tracing familiar patterns before Reborn pulled back, pressing a kiss to Tsuna's throat instead, feeling the beating pulse underneath the skin. Tsuna gasped a little, squirming, and Reborn nipped again, liking the response.

"R-Reborn, cut that out," the teen pouted.

"Why? I miss you. Did you know how badly I freaked out when you were taken from the Grimm Office?" Reborn murmured, a hand sliding up Tsuna's chest to trace the thin collarbones.

"Well, I'm okay now, right?" Tsuna whispered back, biting down a moan. "I'm okay."

"Don't you dare leave me," Reborn shot back, yanking Tsuna down for another kiss. "Whatever it takes; stay alive."

"Mmmnh," Tsuna muttered, too lost in the kiss to form a coherent answer. They stayed like that for a bit more before slowly succumbing to tiredness, exhaustion, and disappointment. There was no doubt that the Overking's refusal to participate in the upcoming war was a huge blow to them. But they were demon hunters. It was an occupational hazard. And too much had been sacrificed already for them to back down now.

When Fon appeared upstairs a moment later, quiet and calmer now, he was surprised to find a broken chair lying in the hallway. Peering into the bedroom, he raised his eyebrow at the giant mess of broken artifacts and at the sight of Tsuna lying on Reborn's chest, both of them fast asleep on the bed.

It wasn't the right time, but it prompted a small smile on Fon's face. Just as it was rare of him to lose his temper so easily, it was rare for Reborn to act so gentle and calmly as well. Both of them came from violent backgrounds, yet in light of recent events, things had changed them all.

The raven walked over, brushing dust and shards of glass off the blanket before throwing it over the sleeping couple. Perhaps it was this change of pace that gave them a better reason to fight on.

Reborn and Tsuna have each other.

Lal and Colonello wanted a brighter future for baby Dante.

Mukuro wanted to protect his sister.

For Fon and Verde, this temple that they grew up in, the one reminder of their surrogate mother who brought them new life, was reason enough for them to persevere on.

So many things were at stake, but Fon had a feeling that despite all odds against them, their friendship would undoubtedly be the strongest bond that will keep them all together in the face of unavoidable danger.

* * *

><p>If any of you know the GazettE, and have seen their PV for The Suicide Circus, allow me to inform you that at the end of the instrumental scene, the part where Reita pauses on the bass was just so. Damn. Sexy. Let me dieee. And if you don't know the GazettE…just carry on, I have some of these moments…. *u* Japanese men…why are you all so beautiful…<p>

Aaaand…everybody's in a fix :'D The Overking won't help them! Abaddon is going to attack soon! I do love putting our dear hunters in such bad situations, don't I? :')

Thank you for reading and all the comments! (ノ゜ω゜)ノ

-BlackStar


	10. Chapter 10

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

Whoa, this is Chapter Ten already? :O Crazy. Thank you so much for reading guys! –bows-

I regret to say that I have written myself into a rut. Oh gee. I thought I was long past this whole writer's block thing, but clearly it's come back to strike me once again. WHYYYY. This story was supposed to end within the next two/three chapters, but I had this brainwave. A weird one. So I added yet another small twist and delayed a major catastrophe…sort of. Well, you'll all see it eventually anyway, it's unavoidable…just might be a while ^^"

Song of the day: Regret (Mai Hoshima)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Ten<p>

If Tsuna had thought that Reborn was drop-dead sexy when he was in his hunter mode and a beast when in bed with the brunette, he was about to learn that there was yet another thing that made the man all more desirable, and quite honestly, made Tsuna blush in ways he did not know possible.

It was Reborn _babysitting_.

Yes, Reborn, the ruthless former hitman, the almighty hunter, and a freaking sexual predator, for crying out loud, sitting in the middle of the nursery Lal and Colonello had designed, flicking through a child's picture book with a bored expression on his face while occasionally sticking his hand out to prevent baby Dante from rolling off his pillow or to retrieve a thrown toy. The room was decorated quite beautifully. The walls were a cozy periwinkle blue with the underside of a rainforest canopy painted on the ceiling. It was a mixture of greens, blues, lime and brown, intricate in details and almost life-like. The floor itself was carpeted with giant throw pillows scattered all over the room. The toys were mostly plushies, but instead of teddy bears or animals, there was a giant stuffed pixie, a lumpy troll, an elf, and a giant nine-tailed wolf stashed away in the corner. The crib was furnished out of wood with soft pillows and a blanket tucked away inside. There were photos of mythical creatures posted up around the room, and a picture of Lal, Colonello, and Dante in a silver frame on the dresser.

Tsuna stood, gaping at the amazing sight before him, taking in all the delicate designs and paintings, as well as his boyfriend now playing tug-a-war with a determined baby. He could feel his face turn tomato red; the scene was adorable.

"Oh, Tsuna," Reborn looked up, not embarrassed in the slightest, as though taking care of kids came naturally to him. It was funny how flustered the man was in the beginning. He seemed to be getting along with his rival's kid just fine.

"Don't just stand there, idiot," Reborn said, tossing a beanie toy at him. "Come over and sit with me, I was just about to die of boredom."

"You're tougher than that," Tsuna teased, walking over to kiss Reborn sweetly. "How's Dante?"

"He regurgitated his food twice," Reborn scowled. "I dumped his bib into the laundry hamper and washed his face. Will you fix another bottle for me? I think the doppelganger's getting hungry again."

Tsuna laughed, but stood up and walked over to the dresser, locating a tin of powdered milk and an empty, washed bottle. Reborn was highly accurate when he called Dante a doppelganger; the boy was a spitting image of his father. Now that he was no longer wrapped up like a Christmas present, he was free to even act like Colonello. Dante waved his arms the same way Colonello did when he was thinking about something (father was probably going through some internal debate about tactics while baby was deciding which toy to pick up), puffed his cheeks out occasionally and even made gurgling sounds that sounded suspiciously like "kora!".

Tsuna shook the bottle while Reborn amused the baby with a snake toy, pulling it around him while Dante shrieked and stretched out his chubby little arms for the plushie.

"Done," Tsuna announced, sitting down next to Reborn and hauling Dante into his arms. "I'll get this; your hand is still broken, isn't it?"

Reborn huffed but did not reply while Tsuna cast a knowing glance down at the bandaged knuckles on Reborn's left hand. He had been confined to the temple's interior by both Mukuro and Tsuna; Mukuro speaking on behalf of a medical experience and Tsuna from exasperation at the fact that Reborn had broken his hand from punching a window, for pity's sake. But Tsuna knew the reason why Reborn had done so, so he did not badger the elder anymore.

Dante burped when he finished his meal, and Tsuna smiled gently down at the baby, wiping his mouth with the bib. Almost at once, Dante's eyelids drooped, and he hiccupped a little before falling right to sleep. The brunette chuckled softly before passing Reborn the empty bottle to rinse, and lifted the baby into the crib. Dante moved his arm sleepily as Tsuna lowered him in, tucking the boy underneath a soft fleece blanket and placed a stuffed seahorse next to him. Reborn came back in a moment later, watching Tsuna stare at the child, and came up behind the brunette, wrapping his arms around Tsuna's waist and resting his chin on the teen's shoulder.

"Why so deep in thought?"

"I'm not deep in thought," Tsuna said crossly, straightening up and turning to poke Reborn in the chest. "You make me sound like an old man; you should be the one going in-depth on unanswerable questions in the universe, yeah?"

"You _wish_," Reborn rumbled, leaning in to seal his lips over Tsuna's, ignoring the brunette as he flapped his arms wildly until he gave up and wound them around Reborn's neck. The kiss was slow and comforting, peaceful and calm. Tsuna parted a moment later for air, tucking his head under Reborn's chin.

"I was wondering if the world will be okay by the time Dante grows up," Tsuna whispered. "I don't want to fail him."

"Well, we won't know until we try," Reborn said slowly. "But the Fates are not so cruel. After a decline in state, things will change for the better. Nothing lasts forever."

Tsuna gulped, eyes watering slightly. "Not even us," he said, so quietly that Reborn almost didn't hear him.

"No, we can't last forever," the dark-haired man agreed, placing a finger under Tsuna's chin and tilting his head upwards so that black and chocolate brown orbs met. "But we can make the best of the time set out for us."

"I hope so," Tsuna said, smiling a watery smile.

"Stupid," Reborn chided, bonking the teen on the head. "I _know_ so."

* * *

><p>Dinner that night was a quiet one. The table of monks was emptier than usual because of the amount of people on patrol at nights; the temple was never left unguarded. Giant torches illuminated the grounds, which made both Tsuna and Reborn feel extremely uneasy. Images of London were rising unpleasantly up from their memories, and the two were eating less than usual, poking around their food instead of consuming it. Mukuro wasn't dining with them; the doctor was in the infirmary, taking care of any wounded monks. Verde and Fon were engaged in a deep conversation regarding the newly build defensive perimeter around the river and Lal had finished her food long ago. She sat at a separate table, tinkering with a giant rifle with undisturbed focus. Colonello ate almost as little as Reborn and Tsuna did, occasionally bringing up short conversations with the two.<p>

"It's cold tonight."

"It's not so bad," Reborn mused, taking a drink of tea.

"For June it is," Colonello insisted. "I mean, it does get chilly without the sun out, but it's worse tonight."

"When have you got patrol, Colonello?" Tsuna asked, scraping aside a piece of carrot.

"Two in the morning," the blonde yawned, stretching. "For the last three months already. Lal gets the shift after."

"I'm up at six with Tsuna as of this afternoon," Reborn grunted. "Verde told me."

"Is that so?" Colonello asked sleepily.

"Mhmm," Tsuna mumbled with a chunk of salmon sticking out of his mouth, trying to pick out the bones with his chopsticks. Reborn rolled his eyes and made the brunette look at him, pulling the little pricks out one by one with his own set of chopsticks while Tsuna went sheepishly cross-eyed trying to watching his boyfriend work.

The wind blew in from the open doors, and it was a little drafty, just as Colonello had said, but for some reason, Tsuna felt a chill run down his spine that had nothing to do with the weather. The brunette turned his head, making Reborn poke him, but the teen paid no attention. He stood up, quietly spitting the fish back into his plate, and stared out the door.

"Tsuna?" Reborn asked, getting to his feet at once, eyes narrowed. "Tsuna, what's wrong?"

And from a room in the far end of the temple, a baby's cry could be heard.

Every single person in the room froze, still as statues, and then, Colonello and Lal both jumped up at once.

"The nursery!" Lal screamed.

"Dante!" Colonello shouted, and the parents sprinted out of the hall just as a sudden, ice cold draft filled the entire hall, blowing napkins and papers aside in once fierce gale.

"On guard!" Reborn bellowed, taking his gun out at once. Verde and Fon were by their side at once, and as the martial artist rolled up his sleeves and Verde remove his pistol from his holster, Tsuna pulled his mittens on and felt the familiar feeling of liquid energy boiling up in his veins, his inner demon slowly awakening.

"Dino! Split your men into four groups and take them out to each corner of the temple! We're taking the direct entrance," Fon shouted, eyes blazing. "Abaddon's coming."

As the monks dove into action, Colonello came running back, pale as sheet. He ran to the rifle Lal had been tinkering with and shoved all the tools out of the way, adjusting the giant machine.

"Colonello! Where's Lal and Dante?" Verde yelled, sparing a glance back at the blonde as they were walking forwards.

"They're fine!" Colonello replied, hooking the weapon over his shoulder and hefting up several winding piles of bullets. "It was Dante's sixth sense. He felt danger coming so he cried. Nothing got to him, but Lal's taking him down to the infirmary, where Mukuro is."

"Dante will be alright, Colonello," Fon said softly, placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Everything will be okay."

Colonello closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. "Yeah," he whispered, a small smile gracing his handsome features. "I just wanna be able to hold his little hand after all this is over, kora."

"Then fight for it," Reborn said. "And do it now. The enemy's arrived."

Beyond the gates of the temple, they could see it. The demons had brought their own blue hell fire from the Underworld, which flickered and flamed and twisted in different shapes, illuminating the smoky monster's faces and rows of sharp fangs that were out for blood. The hunters hurried out onto the lawn with the monks at battle stations around them. Dino, Basil, Squalo and Bel were down at the front, armed with spears, swords, and knives, shouting orders to the other monks. The first wave of enemies was insight already. Down below, Dino shouted something to the monks.

"Set! FIRE!"

There were the sounds of something large and heavy whooshing through the air, and suddenly, the sky was illuminated with giant, flaming celestial bronze chunks that flew like rockets and smashed through the first row. The bronze molds shattered, sending red-hot fragments flying everywhere. The lower class demons disintegrated in an instant, writhing and burning, but the stronger and darker ones were still crawling their way forward, determined to find its prey.

"Set! FIRE!"

As the sky turned orange and red under the burning flames engulfing the monsters and burning through the forest, the hunters knew it would be their game soon. Colonello was already setting up at the doorway, his giant rifle spread impressively over the entire entrance. "I'll be here, kora," the blonde said, flopping down onto his stomach and pulling a pair of infrared goggles over his eyes.

"Verde and I will take the right side then," Fon said, exchanging looks with the green-haired man. "Take the left flanks, you two!"

"Understood!" Tsuna said firmly, his eyes reflecting the fire leaping into the night sky.

"Watch yourselves!" Reborn shouted, and he and Tsuna bolted down the walkway and into the gardens, where the entire place was being remodeled by scraping catapults, giant beacons burning with fire and sandbags stacked up into defensive walls.

They skidded to a halt when a giant demon crashed through the first layers of defenses and sent the monks flying in every direction possible. Tufts of grass rained down upon those on guard and sand spilled everywhere.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

With three well-placed shots, the demon writhed and slowly turned into ash, killed by the three bullets lodged into its face. Reborn huffed and lowered his gun, looking sideways at Tsuna. "Aim for their face or chest. Those are their weakest spots."

"Right." Tsuna said, nodding firmly. "Be careful, Reborn!"

The brunette turned to hurry into battle, but his boyfriend's voice suddenly called out to him again. "Tsuna!"

And when Tsuna turned, Reborn was kissing him, hard and fierce, like he'd never done before. The brunette almost bent over backwards at the angle Reborn was leaning in, but there was something lying hidden behind the action. It was desperate and longing, as though they had been separated for a thousand years. Tsuna kissed back just as fiercely, throwing his arms around Reborn's neck and pulled him down tightly, wishing he didn't have to let go.

Curiously, Tsuna realized something in the back of his fogged-up mind: This was the first time Reborn had kissed him while he was in half-demon form. Almost as though the elder was reading his mind, the dark-haired hunter drew back a little so that their lips still hovered over one another's, petal soft and slightly swollen because of the intense kiss.

"Demon, human, or both, I don't care. I love you and I swear to god I'll never leave you, not matter what. So whatever it takes, Tsuna, stay alive. _Please_."

Tsuna nodded, his heart almost melting away at the—dare he say it?—_confession_ Reborn had just given him. It nearly made him cry, but this was not the time for tears. The brunette took Reborn's face in his hands and he whispered back, "I promise. Wait for me to come back, okay?"

And then they were parting, one running in one direction, the other sprinting away in another, the sounds of destruction and fire crackling filling their ears and the blazing firelight blurring their vision. A demon was flying overhead, going straight for the temple, and Tsuna leapt into action. As one of the catapults were set to launch another flaming bronze ball at the enemy, Tsuna leapt over the rim of the hollow vessel, landing hard on the inside.

"Set! FIRE!"

The catapult was launched, and Tsuna experienced a moment of free flight as he was launched right into the air at his target. The demon's yellowed eye widened in surprise as Tsuna crashed into it in mid-air, sending the two of them spiraling down to earth. They smashed into the front steps of the temple in a sickening _crunch_ and a mess of stone and grass. Tsuna untangled himself from the fleshy body and writhing limbs before spreading his arms wide open, palms splayed, and slammed his hands on either side of the demon's head. The force of the blow was enormous, and with an ugly squelching noise, the demon's head exploded.

Tsuna smirked and shook black blood off his hands, stepping out of the ashes. The night sky was still crawling with demons, and the brunette took off at once, running for the next catapult set to fire. He leapt into the vessel as well, allowing himself to be thrown up into the air. The next demon he caught was unfortunately much closer to the building, and both hunter and monster ended up crashing through the wall of the temple, marking the first damage on the giant structure. In a mess of dust and rubble, Tsuna leapt off the demon and onto the undestroyed part of the floor. His orange eyes zoned in on his enemy, which was still dazed from running headlong into a building, and wasted no time taking advantage of the weakness.

Tsuna sprinted forward, and with an almighty shove, forced the demon to slide backwards off the side of the temple and fall backwards into the gardens. "Look out!" Tsuna shouted, watching the monster fall, and in an instant, was engulfed by bronze cannonballs. The demon screamed and dissolved as well, much to Tsuna's satisfaction.

_Ba-bump. Ba-bump._

Tsuna froze, his breath catching in his throat. This feeling. There was an evil, deadly force approaching them. Could it be…?

"Up there!" someone from the grounds shouted, and Tsuna squinted at the black sky. Something was coming. Fast.

The teen's eyes widened when he saw what it was. "Oh, shit—!"

Tsuna ran for it, leaping off the broken edge of the third floor building, wind whistling in his ears as he plummeted down to earth just as something enormous and cackling with electricity shot right above him, blowing up the temple's front with a massive explosion.

Shouts were heard as rubble rained down upon them, smashing into catapults and skidding over the grass. Tsuna landed and rolled, narrowly avoiding being crushed by a chunk of fall crashing into the spot he landed in a millisecond ago.

"Brother! Are you alright?" one of the monks called, helping Tsuna to his feet.

"I'm fine," the brunette panted, brushing ash and dust off him. "Please, retreat quickly! The enemy approaching is not one you can handle."

"What do you mean?" the monk asked, shaking.

"It's the King of the Underworld," Tsuna said softly, clenching his fists as he looked up into the sky. "Abaddon has joined the battle."

Approaching the temple in a majestic, chariot pulled by winged Nemian Lion was indeed Abaddon, dressed in shiny black armor, holding a massive spear in his hands the crackled with black electricity. It was a lightning bolt he'd shot at the temple earlier. A cruel smile had twisted his face, and he was bearing down upon them at an incredible speed, flanked by another wave of demons.

Tsuna sprinted for the ruined path leading up to the front of the temple from the forest, determined to stop Abaddon in his tracks, and was surprised to find Reborn by his side, Fon on his right, Lal, Colonello and Verde taking up the rear.

"Here he comes!" Fon warned as the chariot started to descend.

"I'll flatten his face," Lal snarled, and it occurred to all the men that out of the entire group, Lal was the one they'd hated to fight in this battle. A mother's instinct was a dangerous thing.

Abaddon's chariot cleaved off the tops of trees in the forest as he landed on the pathway, tearing up the neatly paved stones with his massive ride. The flying lions dug their paws into the ground, roaring and tossing their heads. These were the lions from the Greek myth of Heracles; the lion whose skin was impenetrable. The hunters came to a halt in front of the chariot, forming a line that blocked Abaddon further access to their home.

"What's this?" the King of Hell smirked, brushing his windswept hair back. "A welcoming reception?"

"You're sorely mistaken if you think you'll be welcome _anywhere_," Fon snarled, glaring coldly up at their foe.

"Watch your tongue, boy," Abaddon sneered. "Show some respect and I might find use for you once I take over this pathetic world." His eyes moved down Fon's body and he smirked. "A _good_ use," he leered, and the hunters shuddered in unison.

Abaddon, a pervert?

"Shut up, your rotten asshole," Lal growled. "We're not going to let you take over this place. Or the world, for that matter."

"And you suppose you're the one to stop me?" Abaddon asked, looking bored.

"Not just Lal," Colonello snapped. "_All_ of us are here to defeat you, Abaddon."

"Even though the Overking, your last hope, has abandoned you?" the dark lord said slyly, and the hunters stiffened. The King of Hell laughed out loud at their reactions. "Oh, how typical of that old fraud. Playing hero while leaving behind a trail of broken hearts. Let me tell you something, humans. In all his so-called glory, the Overking is just like me. He pretends to be godly and represents light, but in fact, he won't do anything that will put his throne in jeopardy. Take part in a war? Bah! You were fools to rely on him, and now you're in over your heads with this silly battle. Tell you what," Abaddon suddenly says, leaning in over the edge of his chariot, a dark smile on his face.

"Surrender yourselves. You will live and serve alongside of me, and no other lives will be taken away. Your friends may live. Your children—" Lal flinched visibly at those words— "will live in peace. I am a merciful ruler. I will not—"

_Bang_.

Abaddon flashed back at once, letting the bullet fly by, nailing a demon in the back that immediately turned into ash. His eyes narrowed and he turned to see who had shot him. "Well now, Reborn, why so cold?"

"I've never had a high tolerance for bullshit," Reborn growled.

"Merciful my ass," Verde snorted, his glasses flashing in the firelight.

"Take your self-centered, bastardized words and shove it where the sun doesn't shine!" Tsuna said heatedly.

"What they said, kora," Colonello called out. "Sure, the Overking is a jerk, but he's not the one waging war on us."

"If he won't help us, then we'll help ourselves!" Lal shouted. "We're not weak and we're certainly not helpless."

"No matter what, we're going to keep fighting," Verde added. "Who the hell surrenders nowadays? That's cheesy."

"And we're not giving up," Tsuna said firmly. "We're going to stay alive, no matter what."

Reborn cast a half-glance over at his lover, a small smile quirking his lips. "There's your answer, Abaddon. And about that offer for your throne? Thanks, but no thanks. I don't work well with narcissists."

Abaddon pressed his lips together, coal black eyes flashing dangerously down at them. "So be it," he growled, his low voice making the ground shake and the earth moan. But the hunters stood their ground, determined. "I'll rid you lot where you stand!"

The giant spear was thrust up into the air, crackling with dark energy, and the force of it sent the group staggering back a couple of steps.

"Look out!" Fon shouted.

Abaddon let loose a ground-shaking war cry and brought his weapon swishing down on them. For a scary moment, the power of the lightning bolt itself nearly fried anything within a twelve-foot radius of the angry Underworld King.

_I wouldn't do that if I were you, Abaddon_.

Suddenly from behind the hunters, a mass of glowing white light expanded forwards, completely neutralizing the negative energy and dispersed it. The reaction send a powerful shockwave into Abaddon, who was throw backwards off his chariot and sent skidding along the ground on his back, a look of pure confusion on his face.

"What the—?"

"Greetings," a low, familiar voice said from behind the hunters as the shield dimmed, "I thought this would be a good time to intervene."

The hunters spun around and drew a collective gasp.

"You!" Colonello and Lal shouted.

"Old man?" Reborn said, frowning.

"Overking!" Tsuna gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Heeding my summons, of course," the Overking said, his voice deep and grave. He was in the form of a giant man, wearing silvery white armor and held a long, pearl encrusted sword in his right hand. His lined face was stormy, and his grey eyes serious, but there was a hint of a smile on his mouth. He looked a like a majestic old king, but at the same time, a kindly grandfather.

"But you—you rejected us—" Fon stammered. "How—?"

"I apologize for my harsh words," the Overking said softly. "It was a test. As much as I am obliged to help the students of my own advisor Luce, I had to place you all through a trial. If you gave up, then what would be the point of me fighting for a race that was truly dying? I am not assessing you on whether or not you will win, but if you have the resolve to continue on even after everything falls around you; even if the situation seems hopeless. And you have proven to me beyond a doubt that you are not a dying race. In fact, I can see your will to live burning stronger than ever."

"It was a test?" Tsuna repeated stupidly. "Wow…you…wow…"

"Trying to appear all high and might again, are you, Overking?" Abaddon sneered, staggering to his feet. Almost at once, a force field from the King of Heaven sent the King of Hell sprawling on his back once more.

"Greed has always been your down fall, Abaddon," the Overking said sternly. "That, and your bloodthirsty nature."

"And your general lack of conscience," Lal snapped.

"And your sociopathic tenancies," Verde inserted.

"Pevert," Fon and Tsuna muttered together.

"Don't forget his over-inflated ego," Reborn added helpfully.

"And his awful sense of style," Colonello jumped in, prompting a snicker from Reborn.

"TRASH!" Abaddon snarled, getting to his feet. "Demons! Attack!"

"Archangels," the Overking called in a powerful voice. "Assemble!"

From the ground, wisps of white smoke began to rise. Quickly, they formed the shapes of tall, armored angles armed with arrows and bows, swords and shields. Their breastplates were similar to the Overking's, and the angelic force marched forward, lining themselves up expertly at their King's orders.

"Onward!"

With a ferocious clash, white and black met on the middle of the battlefield, slashing, cutting, and stabbing. Demons howled as they fell, ash scattered into the air, and Abaddon was forced to retreat as his chariot was smashed into pieces and the winged Nemian Lions were restrained before the angels killed the beasts by plunging their swords down their throats. It was an all-out, no bounds battle, and it was getting more dangerous to be standing around. The Overking slipped on his helmet, humming as he lifted his sword.

"Shall we, hunters?"

"And to think I called you a jerk," Colonello said in awe.

They dove headlong into the war, winding in and out of the mass of light and darkness, the clash of weapons and teeth, and the bodies lying on the ground. Behind them, the gong in the temple echoed across the grounds, signaling midnight.

The battle was high, but in every one of the hunter's hearts, there was something new that was burning strong and proud.

Hope.

And this time, they dared to hope that they would make it out alive.

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><p>It was quick, but the Overking joins the war! And it was a test xD Did he redeem himself? Yes? No? Sort of? He'll have another mini role in the upcoming chapters, so if you guys like his performance now, hopefully he'll impress you again (〃￣ω￣〃)ゞ<p>

And I couldn't resist throwing in the let's-violate-Fon humor once again. But he is a very pretty man, no? :'3

On a sadder note, I wrote this while I was downstairs at 1 am. And when I finished, I was too scared of the dark to go back upstairs, uwahhhh. ((((；゜Д゜))) I was stuck for a very long time until I gathered my non-existent courage and ran my way back up.

Eh, enough with my irrational fears. Thank you so much for reading! Every one of your comments is deeply appreciated, and if you guys have any suggestions, comments or ideas on how I can improve, please don't hesitate to let me know. It makes the story all more enjoyable for you guys to read! (◡‿◡✿)

-BlackStar


	11. Chapter 11

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

It was super windy today and I almost got blown into oncoming traffic while on the sidewalk, unlucky... I'm sorry this chapter is a bit late. Stuff came up and I couldn't find motivation to write for a while.

Thank you to everybody who reviewed (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ I'm so happy~

This is Chapter Eleven. I ate tuna out of a can while writing this ^^"

Song of the day: Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral (Richard Wagner)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eleven<p>

_Fear: something inside your heart that grows darker and heavier until it consumes you completely (Unknown)_

Reborn was a veteran hunter; he had been in conflicts nearly as dangerous as the one he was fighting in at the moment. If there had ever been one thing he'd learned, it was eventually, one side would fall. Or both sides would fall. Or whatever. Right now, at this point in time, everything was complete chaos, so he couldn't really tell.

All he knew was one moment he was throwing himself headfirst into battle, and a wild, bloody blur later, both sides were retreating. Abaddon was calling for his troops to retreat, and Reborn himself was pulling a bleeding Tsuna back towards the temple, feeling crimson run down his face as well.

It had been a tiring fight.

There would never be a war without casualties.

The monks were already filling up the dining hall, the wounded being helped into chairs, on the benches, across the tables, or on the floors. The dead were being moved into the garden behind the temple. Mukuro was running back and forth, wearing an apron that had already been dyed with so much red that it was hard to tell what the original colour had been. Lal and Colonello had gone straight to find Dante, who had been moved to the basement with Basil taking care of him. Verde and Fon had both gone to help Mukuro out. All the hunters had been lucky enough to have been able to avoid any serious injury.

Reborn jolted out of his thoughts when a gloved hand suddenly reached up to wipe at his forehead. He looked down to see Tsuna staring up at him with tired orange eyes. He knew that the brunette didn't dare extinguish his demon energy in case they were ambushed. The metal plating on the glove felt cool against his warm skin. Reborn took Tsuna's wrist and gently pulled the teen's hand down.

"You'll dirty your gloves, Tsuna."

"You've got a cut on your forehead, Reborn," the brunette said innocently. "I'll get you a bandage."

"You don't have to—" Reborn started to say, but Tsuna actually shushed him and vanished into the crowd of people and supernatural beings in the dining hall. The Overking was helping with the healing; those who were most gruesomely injured were being treated near the back of the room. The archangels were standing guard outside of the temple, some were also helping out in the hall, and there were a few that were having their wounds taken care of. Angels were strong, but not invincible.

_Reborn._

The dark-haired man jerked, startled, his hand going for his gun at once. The voice that had just spoken to him was a familiar, sinister one. There was no doubt as tos who the speaker was, but what confused him was that nobody in the room had reacted to the presence of a foe at all.

_Reborn, I know you can hear me. Only __**you**__ can hear me._

The hunter gritted his teeth. What the hell did Abaddon want?

_I've got a proposal for you. Now, before you think this is a trick, I want to assure you it's not. We are presently at a time of retreat. There are laws that govern basic rights of living beings, even for the supernatural. I cannot attack you at this time. _

There was a pause, in which Reborn clenched his fists tightly and glared up at the ceiling. What Abaddon had said just now was true. It was a hypothetical "time-out" for either side. Because he was the one who called Reborn out, the King of Hell would also be unable to attack him. It was a code, whatever that meant.

_I am currently in the woods about a minute's walk away from the temple, next to the river. I'll advise you to consider my words. This could solve the whole bothersome issue of war at hand. Come alone, because this concerns nobody else, Reborn. I'll be waiting._

The distant voice faded from his mind, and Reborn was left to stand in the middle of the busy hall, seething quietly. Abaddon was _such_ a conceited assbag. Reborn wasn't an idiot; going out to see the King of Hell by himself was pretty much suicide. There was no also no suspicion as to why he was being called out. Under any normal circumstances, Reborn would never even consider going to see Abaddon. Hell, he would have found a way to stop listening to the demon before the jerk could finish talking.

But right now, there was one thought in his mind: Tsuna.

If he were to end this war for anybody, it would be for his lover.

He really was getting soft, wasn't he?

Reborn pressed his lips together and glanced around. Everybody in the room was too preoccupied with something to do and trying to make the best of the short amount of time they had for themselves. The dark-haired man took a step or two backwards, vanishing into the shadows of the crumbling columns, and then, was gone, walking swiftly and silently down the front steps of the temple, carefully avoiding the angels standing guard outside, and disappearing into the thick forest.

Reborn wasn't worried. Nobody else could hear the message anyway, and he was no amateur with it came to stuff like this.

Get in, get out.

As the hunter continued his way down the path, a pair of glowing orange eyes watched on from the edge of the forest; and the shadow darted quietly after him.

* * *

><p>Reborn didn't expect to be greeted by a pair of giant, lumbering trolls so quickly. The foul, filthy creatures had been guarding the perimeter of the demon camp, and when they caught a whiff of Reborn's scent (trolls used their sense of smell instead of their poor eyesight to identify others) grumbled and marched alongside the hunter as they made their way into camp.<p>

But 'camp' was an understatement.

Giant trenches had been gouged out for fire pits, trees had been torn down to make room for the giants, and demons were prowling the area as though they owned it, defiling the forest and damaging the once beautiful scenery of the area. Werewolves huddled amongst the bushes, their yellowed eyes following Reborn, dirty nails clawing absent-mindedly at the ground. Several cloaked ghouls sucked rattling breaths and exhaled fumes of greenish air from their foul mouths. Witches cackled and strutted about, kicking the lower demons aside and showing off their powers. Reborn had only fought against a witch once, and that had been with Yamamoto. The idiot had nearly gotten his head blown off when the hag managed to get her wand within point-range distance at his face had Reborn not jumped in at the last second and shot her through the neck. Anything that could willfully use magic was almost ten times more dangerous.

Abaddon sat on a throne woven out of thick vines at the very center of a giant clearing. His seat was decorated with skulls of various woodland creatures and there was a massive bonfire right in front of him, flames leaping into the air and creating ghastly shapes amidst the red and orange. The demons were clustered closely to their king, wanting his attention in an almost desperate kind of manner. But their efforts were wasted the moment Reborn arrived; Abaddon, who had been lounging around on his throne in boredom, had no eyes for anybody other than the hunter the second he appeared with the trolls.

"Reborn!" Abaddon smiled widely. "So glad you can join us. Come closer; there's not need to stand so far away."

"I like it here," Reborn snapped. "It's the furthest place away from you."

Abaddon's smile twitched, as though slightly strained, but he ploughed on despite Reborn's obvious hostility towards him. "Brutal words, human…but not matter. Petty talk is not what I have called you for. Have you considered the proposal I made during your visit to the Underworld?"

The demons and supernatural beings, most of which had gathered to the clearing once they realized that Abaddon had an interest in Reborn, muttered among themselves in confusion.

"You're out of your mind," Reborn snarled. "I thought my answer was very clear from the start."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Abaddon huffed impatiently. "Has the first phase of this nonsensical war done nothing to sway you? So many resources would be wasted over this stupid argument. Your friends would fall if I were to unleash my full army on them. You could prevent it from happening if you took over my throne."

"If you were to unleash your forces, we'd just annihilate you," Reborn said flatly. "Why should I even bother considering joining a losing side?"

The demons and monsters made noises of outrage at the blatant insult thrown at them, but Reborn was unmoved.

"Brave words, Reborn, but think of all the possibilities of ruling the Underworld," Abaddon pressed on. "Entire legions of demons at your very command! Every supernatural being will bow down to you in respect. You can take whatever you wish, whoever you want. The world is yours to command."

"Byakuran gave his life to get me out of the Underworld," Reborn growled. "Why the _fuck_ would I ever go back to that shithole?"

Abaddon's expression darkened. "Byakuran was a traitor. He was no good to my cause, and he would not have been helpful for yours. He's better off being dead. I once placed my investments in him, but it turned out to be a poor choice. You see? I make mistakes, just like you. Although perhaps he was just naïve, thinking that I would actually give him a chance to see his lover again once he completed his tasks as my commander."

Reborn's eyes widened momentarily as Abaddon's words hit him like an out-of-control freight train. "You bribed him to join you by offering to bring Yamamoto _back_?"

"He was a fool to believe," Abaddon dismissed. "You, Reborn, on the other hand, are much smarter, wiser, and experienced than Byakuran. I can judge that much, at the very least."

The insult to two of his fallen friends was the last straw for Reborn. His hand plunged into the confines of his jacket, pulling out his guns, and fired at Abaddon. The first two shots caught the King of Hell in surprise, nailing him in the chest and the stomach. The third one he managed to dodge, and the fourth one he swatted away. Reborn fired relentlessly, emptying his gun on his enemy. He'd never once lost his temper so badly before. His breathing was hard as the sixth shot was also deflected, and a thunderous Abaddon was suddenly upon him.

"FOOL!" the King of Hell roared, slamming his spear down where Reborn was before the hunter leapt out of the way. The demons hissed and shrieked, forming a circle around the two fighters. Reborn went for his knife instead, pulling it out of his boot and rushing headlong into his enemy. The spear missed his chest by an inch as Reborn cut along Abaddon's arm, drawing blood. The demon bellowed in pain and rage before backhanding Reborn, who staggered and fell. His nose was bleeding.

"I offer you my hospitality and throne, yet you continue to insult me, mortal!" Abaddon shouted, his voice shaking the ground. He advanced forwards as Reborn stepped backwards, and the watching crowd jeered and taunted. "You will pay for you insolence!"

"Did you really think that I would believe that you would just let me take over the Underworld?" Reborn snarled. "You say I will be able to end the war, I will take over all your men, but how could a power-hungry beast like you ever give any of that up? I don't know what you want from me, but this is a sick game that I refuse to take part in! As if you'd ever let the chance to destroy the world slip away from you!"

Abaddon lunged, and Reborn slipped aside, scraping the demon king with his knife again, but Abaddon kicked up a stone in the ground that hit Reborn square in the face, making him lose concentration for a split second. Abaddon took advantage of that at once, wrapping a powerful arm around Reborn's neck in a fierce chokehold, slamming the hunter to the ground.

"I chose you because you were the strongest out of all those weakling humans!" Abaddon raged. "You are a killer! You have the type of demeanor needed to rule bloodthirsty beings like my army. Embrace this fact! You'll never find your place in the Overworld!"

But Abaddon's rant was cut short momentarily by the back or Reborn's head smashing into his nose. There was short yell of pain as Abaddon tried to recover from the strike and Reborn tried to throw his enemy off him. It was a one-on-one fight like he'd never experienced before. He stabbed backwards multiple times, managing to make painful wounds on Abaddon, but the demon kept on tightening his hold on Reborn's neck until the dark-haired man could see black spots in his vision. Had Reborn not been such a tough fighter, he would have passed out long ago.

"You've been weakened by that half-breed," Abaddon snarled, barely evading a wild swing at his face. "And the weak are not fit to take over my throne. We'll end this here."

The spear was suddenly at Reborn's neck, pressed tightly enough against skin to draw blood, and within a heartbeat, several things happened at once.

Abaddon made to slit Reborn's throat as the hunter took advantage of the demon kind's momentary lapse in defence to impale his knife through the monster's chest, and the outer edge of the circle, where many of the demons had gathered to watch the fight, exploded.

Pain seared across Reborn's neck as the spear made its cut, which stung even more as he was dropped due to Abaddon clutching at his chest instead, tearing the knife out with a bellow like a wounded animal. A brown-haired blur went flying across the terrace and slammed his fist into Abaddon's face, sending the demon king flying back into his army. Reborn staggered to his feet, groping for his weapon, and jumped when a pair of arms enveloped him. He looked up to find Tsuna's frightened face hovering over his own.

"Reborn! You're bleeding!"

"Who cares?" Reborn spluttered. "Run! Run now!"

The teen nodded, and the two hunters sprinted down the uneven ground, leaping over dead bodies and sinking into the soil where Tsuna had literally blown the ground up with the force of his blow. Demons were rushing into them, but most were disoriented by the blast, and some had been crushed under flying hunks of dirt, trees, or stones. Most monsters were trying to attend to a furious Abaddon.

Reborn almost cursed himself for not remember Tsuna's demon side. The kid could tell when monsters were arriving, for pity's sake, so of course he could sense Abaddon tapping into Reborn's mind!

"The truce is over," the dark-haired man panted. "Get back to the temple, warn the others, and get the troops assembled. I'll stay back and hold them off for a while."

"No!" Tsuna shouted. "Reborn, you can't just stand here alone! You went off to talk to Abaddon by yourself, look what happened!"

"This mess is my fault!"

"It's _our_ war!"

There was a sudden whistling sound from behind them, and Tsuna jerked, eyes going wide with surprise. He stumbled, tripped, and Reborn had to spin around to catch his boyfriend as they both tumbled onto the forest floor. Something sharp scraped against Reborn's arm as he wrapped around Tsuna's middle.

It was the metal tip of a spear.

Tsuna fell to his knees, retching and unintentionally spitting blood out onto Reborn's face. His breathing was coming out in uneven, shallow pants, and even as Reborn felt his heart turn to stone as he shouted his boyfriend's name, pressing his hand against the wound, Tsuna crumpled, Abaddon's spear impaled through him.

"My, my," Abaddon said quietly, his shadow falling upon them. "Humans are indeed weak, even half-breeds."

"You fucker!" Reborn shouted, a roaring sound in his ears. "Tsuna, stay with me! Tsuna! TSUNA!"

"That's not all it does," Abaddon said suddenly. "Do you know what the property of my spear is? _Electricity_."

The demon king flicked his finger, and instantly, Tsuna was screaming, and the sound was tearing through Reborn's insides as he clutched the writhing teen. Tsuna trashed and convulsed wildly, his body jerking in agony at the voltage traveling through the spear in his torso.

"Stop it!" Reborn shouted. "Stop!"

Abaddon raised an eyebrow. "The weak have no place in this world," he replied, and Tsuna's voice cracked as he cried out in pain, blood soaking the earth at his feet and Reborn's hands as he tried to stem the flow without electrocuting himself as well.

"That's enough!" Reborn snarled. "ENOUGH! Leave him be, and I'll come with you!"

Instantly, the spear stilled, and Tsuna fell over Reborn's shoulder. His lips were a ghastly shade of white and he wasn't breathing. The dark-haired man immediately wrenched the spear out of the teen's back, tearing off his jacket to bundle over the wound before sealing his lips over Tsuna's, forcing air into the brunette's lungs. Abaddon watched on impassively for a few seconds before suddenly waving his hand over the pair. To Reborn's shock, the gaping hole in Tsuna's abdomen closed up and the teen took a shuddering, weak breath.

"What did I say? I am merciful," Abaddon said coldly. "This was your choice, Reborn. The spell I've cast over the half-breed will keep him alive so long as you uphold your word and become King of the Underworld. If you leave or abandon your post, the spell keeping the maggot over there alive will stop, and he will die. I'll make sure of it."

"There's no need," Reborn snarled, cradling Tsuna in his arms. "_You_ keep your word, you bastard, and keep him alive."

"Will do," Abaddon smirked, and he waved his hand against the air once again. Just like Byakuran had done a long, long time ago, a black hole appeared, swirling, turning. Reborn gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe what he had just done.

This was a mess.

"…Re…born?"

The dark-haired man closed his eyes briefly before looking down, brushing Tsuna's hair out of his pale face with a bloody hand. "I'm here, Tsuna."

"…what…happened…?"

"Listen to me," Reborn whispered softly, pulling Tsuna up into a half hug. "I'm not staying here anymore. I need to leave. Stay alive, Tsuna."

The brunette's brown eyes flickered in confusion. "…where…?"

"Time's ticking, Reborn," Abaddon interrupted, and the teen got the gist at once.

"…no…!"

"I'm sorry, Tsuna," Reborn said quietly, pressing a quick kiss to his boyfriend's forehead. "You need to live. I said I'd do anything to keep you alive, right? I mean it."

"…please…don't…"

Reborn lowered the brunette to the ground, gently prying the hands reaching towards him off. "I don't regret what I did. If going to Hell means you live, I'll do it. Keep fighting, Tsuna," Reborn urged, reaching into his pocket to pull out the two-way mirror. "Call Fon when you can. Get out of here."

"…Reborn…!"

The hunter stood up, stepping over brunette, glaring at Abaddon with cold fury. The King simply smirked in reply, walking through the black hold. All around them, the same portable devices were appearing all over the clearing, and the demons were vanishing through the swirling black mass as well. Reborn hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning around one last time. Onyx met brown, and Tsuna looked pleadingly, desperately, at Reborn, begging him not to go.

It was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do; turning away from those eyes.

When Reborn stepped through the portal and vanished along with the enemy, Tsuna didn't move.

He remained on the ground. Tears ran down the sides of his face and fell onto the soft grass, which soaked up the salty droplets easily. Tsuna shuddered, feeling cold all over, and he cried.

And cried.

And he couldn't stop.

* * *

><p>I'm sorry this was also a bit short. And tsk, the plot just thickens even more. I wonder if I'll be able to write myself out of this.<p>

Thank you for reading! I promise the next chapter will come soon.

-BlackStar


	12. Chapter 12

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

My midterms came back Friday…I'm doing okay in everything but Law and English. I was expecting my Law grade to be a bit lower than usual, since I flunked my last test, but English was just a wtf moment for me…ahn, I don't like my teacher much ;_; She does mark rather cruelly, sigh.

Welcome to Chapter Twelve, and thank you to everybody who read, favourited, alerted, and reviewed –bows deeply-

Song of the day: Face (Nu'est)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twelve<p>

He didn't know how long he was lying there, but as the night progressed, Tsuna simply stared up at the sky, drifting in and out of consciousness, fleeting memories filling the voids of his mind. Inevitably, he somehow managed to think back to the first time he'd met Reborn, and their first exchange of words had been profanities. His mind wandered to London, and he thought about Yamamoto, Byakuran, and Alaude. Where were they now? Where did the dead go? Heaven and Hell seemed to be too full of other beings to take in humans. Maybe they went where Giotto did, wherever his brother passed on to.

Surprisingly, he remembered Fran's words for him as well: the Fates would not be favouring him and Reborn's relationship around this time. It hurt to realize that the shaman had been telling the truth.

His tears were stopping now. Maybe he didn't have any more tears left to cry out.

There was a whispering sound around him, and Tsuna, in his hazy mind, thought it was the wind until a skinny figure loomed over him. The brunette stared up with glassy eyes, blinking slowly. The figure tilted itself, and a moment later, Tsuna realized he was looking up at a tree. Was he imagining things?

"A human in our forest…"

There were more whispers, and to Tsuna's dazed confusion, more trees, all skinny saplings, were moving slowly towards him, their roots dragging through the ground, making the earth shift beneath the brunette.

"A human in our forest…"

"Defilers…"

"He's injured."

"He's alone."

"No, he was with the prodigal son of Luce."

There was silence. Tsuna turned his head, looking blearily through the trees' limbs, searching for the two way mirror. He extended his hand slowly towards the glass, his breath hitching as pain exploded over his barely healed wound, and tried to call for help, like Reborn had told him to. His fingers brushed weakly over the smooth, reflective surface, too weak to grasp it, but one of the trees leaned down and stretched out its thin branch, pushing it towards Tsuna.

"…thank…you…" Tsuna mumbled. Strangely, he felt at ease around the spirits of the forest. They didn't seem like bad creatures.

"What will you do with that, friend of the prodigal son of Luce?"

Tsuna exhaled shakily, turning the mirror in his palm. "Reborn…told me to call…Fon…for help."

The trees looked at each other and murmured amongst themselves.

"The groundskeeper of the temple."

"The faithful son of Luce."

"The friend knows the faithful son."

The whispering grew louder, and then, there were crackling sounds, like tree back crumbling. Tsuna's eyes widened as something reached for him; hands. He turned over to see a woman with dark, solemn eyes looking down at him, pulling him up. In the moonlight, Tsuna could barely make out her pointed ears and green-tinged skin. _Nymphs_.

"Friend of the sons of Luce," the nymph said slowly, gathering up Tsuna into her unexpectedly strong hold for such twig-like arms, "We will deliver you back."

There were more nymphs gathering around now, shedding their bark, brushing willowy hair out of their faces, holding bows and arrows, staring quietly up into the sky.

"Our forest has been defiled."

"Darkness has taken over."

"This is our war too, now."

Tsuna blinked. The scent of the forest filled his nose as he slumped against the nymph's shoulder, too weak and too tired to do anything else.

"…thank you…" he said softly.

He could only remember the movement of their new allies as they walked up to the temple from the forest, the sounds of more trees shedding their bark to join them, and the firelight coming from the building as they neared. He heard footsteps and suddenly, Fon was gathering Tsuna into his arms, calling for the brunette urgently. The nymphs were speaking to the hunters, and Fon passed Tsuna over to Verde, who held him as Mukuro appeared, checking Tsuna's injuries over. It was a dizzying mess of light and people's faces in his vision, and the last thing the brunette remembered was a blonde that might have been Colonello moving him upstairs to his room.

When his head hit his pillow, Tsuna was out like a light.

* * *

><p><em>It was raining the night Giotto came back. The wind howled and the branches of the sweeping willow tree outside the front window smacked against the glass pane with a persistent 'thwack, thwack' noise. The tiny cottage shook as thunder roared after a brilliant flash of lightning, and Tsuna couldn't help but shudder as he reached out to close the blinds. He was sitting at his older brother's desk downstairs in the living room, a giant book full demon terminology open in front of him, reading the tiny, inked words by the light of an old table lamp and the fire in the hearth behind him. <em>

_The storm had just taken a turn for the worse when suddenly; there was a loud, vicious banging noise on the front door. Tsuna jumped, not expecting any visitors so late at night, and frowned. As a fourteen year old, he had been very well educated in stranger danger, courtesy of an extremely protective older brother, and didn't need to think twice before reaching into the drawers underneath the desk, rummaging for the gun that was usually kept there._

_After finding the weapon amidst a pile of letters, papers, and folders, Tsuna walked along the hall, feeling as though he had just been throw into a horror movie. Lightning flashed again, and the cottage shook as the thunder made the earth shudder. The knocking on the door sounded again, and the brunette hesitated as he placed a hand over the lock. Should he open it?_

_The thunder roared, and dimly, over the sound of rain, the teen heard a voice._

"_Tsuna! Tsuna, open the door!"_

_The brunette gasped and he unlocked the door immediately. "Giotto!" he shouted, opening the door to reveal his older brother standing in the rain, wearing an oversized aviator jacket that was clinging to the hunter's thin body. Giotto stumbled in, breathing heavily, and dropped his bag onto the floor with a wet thud, staggering into the kitchen, leaving a confused Tsuna to close the door. Was Giotto ill?_

"_Giotto?" Tsuna asked hesitantly, following his older brother into the room. "Are you okay?"_

_Something strange was happening to the blonde. Giotto ran into the corner of the table as he stumbled on the tiled floor, dripping water and blood all over the place. Using the counter to steady himself, the hunter reached up for a cabinet, his shaking hands knocking jars of spices, herbs, and magical plants over as he looked for what he needed. Tsuna stood at the doorway, fear turning his stomach over._

"_Giotto, what's going on?"_

_His brother convulsed slightly, coughing, and for the first time, Tsuna could see a dark, inky black haze hovering over Giotto's frame. The brunette stepped back, shaking; his hand still on his gun. He'd never felt so scared before._

_In a rush of oncoming wind, Giotto suddenly choked and vomited all over the counter, knees giving out as he fell in a dead faint to the floor. The black shadow leapt from Giotto's body and slammed into Tsuna, knocking the brunette to the ground. Tsuna yelled in surprise. The gun slid from his fingers and skidded across the floor as the shadow pinned his arms down on either side of him, a face shifting in and out of view in the black haze. Tsuna thought he saw the image of eyes staring into his own. _

_The thunder rolled, the shadow hissed, and he was suddenly in unimaginable pain. It felt as though his insides were being torn out, his heart being eaten alive, and his lungs wouldn't inflate. His breathing was shallow and quickening, and for the first time in his life, Tsuna felt something else inside his consciousness. _

_Something inhuman._

_Something dark. _

_The teen screamed, feeling wretched and frightening, for the older brother lying unconscious on the floor._

"_Gio—"_

"Reborn!"

Tsuna sat bolt upright, and his head swam dizzyingly, making him sway and reach for the wall. His heart pounded wildly in his ribcage, as though he'd been running a marathon. Sunlight was streaming through a window held together with tape and torn blinds. The bed he was sitting up on had two blankets draped over him, and a pile of bandages lying in the corner. The nightstand had pills, another first-aid kit, and a glass of water. Tsuna turned his head slowly, taking his surroundings in.

He was in his room at the temple.

There was no storm, not rain, no bloody Giotto.

Just him, sitting alone.

Tsuna looked down, touching his sore torso with hesitant hands. Even though his brain was still fuzzy with the dream, everything that had happened up until the point where he passed out was all coming back to him. Someone had changed him out of his outdoor wear. The brunette was sporting a dark blue Chinese robe and a pair of grey slacks that tightened at the ankle. His jacket, pants, boots, armor plate and mittens were resting on a chair a few feet away, neatly folded. His wound had been bandaged, but when Tsuna touched it, it still felt tender. Maybe Abaddon had purposefully left it partially healed just so it would be a disadvantage for battle.

Abaddon.

Reborn.

Seized by a sudden fit of fury, Tsuna threw the blankets off him and seized the glass of water, throwing it at the wall. It shattered in a mess of crystal shards and liquid that littered the floor aimlessly. His abdomen protested at the sudden action, and Tsuna exhaled weakly, losing energy in his already jelly-like legs as he sat back down on his bed. The emotions coursing through him were extremely confusing. Tsuna didn't know whether he should mourn or rage. Alaude had once told him that he did the self-pitying thing well. Maybe the man had been right.

There didn't sound like there was anything going on outside. The usual cheer in the temple was lacking, and one peek through the ruined curtains told Tsuna that the war had not been a fanciful hallucination, so, without knowing what else to do, the brunette stood up and started to change back into his normal clothes. Everything had been washed, and the rips in his garments had been stitched up quite neatly. Tsuna wondered how long he'd been passed out.

The robes were discarded on the bed, and on went his shirt, pants, and his boots. It felt strange, changing back into battle wear. The armor plate felt twice as heavy as Tsuna pulled it over his chest. He should consider finding one that extended down to his stomach. He reached for his jacket, sliding his arms through the slightly stiff material, and was about to exit the room when—

_Crunch._

Tsuna blinked, looking down. There was something under his boot.

Lifting his leg, the brunette found himself staring at a shard of broken blade. It took him a moment or two to recall where he'd gotten it, and more painful memories came flooding back. Crouching down, Tsuna picked up the piece of Yamamoto's katana, turning it over in his palm. It was cool and heavy and slightly chipped around the edges. The flat metal wasn't nearly as reflective as the two-way mirrors because of its general purpose, but Tsuna could still see his own reflection in the blade.

He looked pale, frightened, and tired.

Without meaning to, tears filled his eyes and his entire body weakened. Tsuna pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, muffling the sobs that shook him to his very core. It was agony. Everything was slipping away from him, no matter how hard he tried to hang on. Was it because he was weak? Did that useless reflection on his own face cause those he'd cared for to be taken away?

His heart was in shambles as the tears dripped down onto the blade. Tsuna took a shuddering breath, drawing his knees up to himself as he let his head rest against the side of the bed. Life was slowly becoming a burden to support. Nobody said war was going to be easy, and Tsuna sure as hell knew it wasn't going to be, but it was easy to say that he'd be okay.

Actually trying to tell himself that everything would work out was a whole different matter.

_Tsuna._

The brunette jumped, whirling to face the door, drying his eyes hastily, but there was nobody there. Confused, the teen stood up, looking around. For a moment, he was certain he'd heard his name.

_Tsuna._

Tsuna's eyes widened. Was someone in the room with him? Instinctively, he went for his gloves, straining to hear the voice again. Was it friend or foe? He didn't want to be unprepared. Brown eyes turned into a hard, blazing orange as his inner demon flared up.

_Tsuna…down here._

The teen's heightened senses immediately directed his attention to…the shard of blade. Tsuna stared. Was this what he'd just invoked his demon side for? A talking blade?

"Whoa!" the brunette jumped, almost dropping the shard in surprise. Something inside the blade was_ talking_ to him!

_Don't be alarmed…we're trying to help you._

It wasn't actually a voice that was speaking to him right now. Instead, it was more like a thought travelling through his mind. A thought that wasn't his. Tsuna blinked, and hesitantly tapped the blade. "Umm…hello?"

_Tsuna, there's a way to bring Reborn back._

The brunette froze. "What do you mean?" he asked suspiciously. "Who are you?"

_We're your friends, Tsuna. We don't want to see you cry, or see you suffer. _

"Not to be rude, but if I don't know who you are, I won't trust you," Tsuna replied as his heart squeezed painfully in his chest. Did he really want to find out how to bring Reborn back from Hell? Would that even be possible?

_Byakuran made it possible for us to communicate through this blade…he once spoke to Yamamoto through this._

Tsuna's jaw dropped. Of course! Byakuran had infused the shard with a _palantír_, a seeing stone. "Are you…are you Yamamoto?" he asked uncertainly.

_No, but he's here too. He knows you're out there._

"I—really?" Tsuna asked, staring. This was weird.

_Listen, Tsuna. There's something you can do to bring Reborn back. Will you hear us out?_

The hunter paused. Did he really want to know? What if this was still a trap? Tsuna bit his lip. It couldn't hurt to just listen, would it?

Would it?

"Okay," the brunette blurted out, before he could change his mind. "I'll listen."

_Alright. We know of your predicament at the moment. Reborn needs to remain the King of Hell in order for Abaddon's healing spell to keep you alive. It's a very complicated type of bonding magic that acts like a security barrier. Reborn will keep the throne if it means keeping you alive. _

Tsuna swallowed. He longed to say he'd rather die than have Reborn stay with the dark forces, but it was a nonnegotiable concept. Reborn would probably punch him for even thinking something like that.

_However, there is a loophole. If there are any forces greater than Abaddon, it would be the Fates._

"The Fates?"

_Yes, Fates. They govern all and rule all. If there is something that could bring Abaddon down, it would be Judgment Day._

"Judgment Day? What's that?"

_A time where all beings, strong or weak, human or supernatural, must face the Fate's judgment. They assess the being at hand based on what they've done their whole life up until that point, and pass the correct decision on how the rest of the existence would be. Generally, humans do not face this day until their deaths, but because supernatural beings are mostly immortal, they will be judged at the prime of their lives and be given verdict. Those who are deemed unfit to continue on because of their evil acts will be banished from existence. _

"I—I see," Tsuna stammered, brain swirling.

_Abaddon knows that he would not pass Judgment Day. That is why he's avoided it for centuries already. What you need to do is force him to face the Fates, and all his powers will be extinguished because of his deeds. The spell cast over you will be reverted, and you will remain healthy._

"How am I going to do that?" Tsuna stuttered. "If he's been avoiding it for years already, I honestly do not think I can make him stand trial!"

_Yes, it is impossible for you to make him stand judgment. However, there is someone of equal strength to Abaddon that will be able to do that in your place. _

"Who? Is it the Overking?"

_No; not the Overking. The Overking belongs in the realm of light. He and Abaddon are opposite entities, so the cancel each other out. However, counterpart to the male figure of darkness and evil, there is a female sorcerer. Her name is Hecate, the Witch Queen. If you can summon her and make a deal with her to draw Abaddon out, you will be able to force him to stand trial, and destroy him altogether._

"Hecate? How will I find her?"

_Summon her through the old texts of this temple, in the Underground. But remember, Tsuna, she is evil as well. The only thing that may convince her to help you out is her longtime grudge against the demon king. Do your best, and you may be able to end the war and bring Reborn back._

Tsuna pressed his lips together, thinking hard. It sounded like a plan. Should he do it?

_Good luck, Tsuna. We'll always be standing by you._

"Wait!" the brunette said, grabbing the blade. "Who are you? How many of you are there? And how do you know all this?"

_We are your friends, Tsuna. Believe us._

"Hold on!" Tsuna said again, but even as he spoke the words, he could feel the presence of the voices fading from his mind already. He groaned and fell backwards onto the bed. He had even more riddles and problems to deal with was honestly starting to wonder what a normal, peaceful life would be like.

But now he had a chance.

It was a small glimmer of hope he hadn't seen in ages.

Tsuna bit his lip and sat up, staring at the door. It took him a moment to fully gather his wits before he stood up, stowed the blade inside his pocket, extinguished his demon energy and left his room.

It was busy downstairs. Tsuna was certain that a day or two had passed, because the setting had changed and everybody was moving about again. Monks moved in and out of the halls, angels and nymphs were more than often seen guarding the temple together and when the brunette arrived in the dining Hall, the hunters were conversing with the Overking. They all were deep in conversation, so stealthily, Tsuna moved back into the shadows and walked around the room to the doorway in the back that lead to the basements. As he walked, he heard a gurgling noise, and he turned to see Dante staring right at him in his mother's arms, waving a tiny hand in his direction. Lal absent-mindedly bounced the baby, paying more attention to the discussion at hand than where her son was indicating. Tsuna sweatdropped a little. Maybe the saying that babies had a good intuition was true.

It was like walking back him time as he wandered down the hall to the basement. The only light Tsuna dared to spare was one of the smallest torches, illuminating the long hallway with a lonely handful of flames. Finding the right room proved to be a very difficult task, as all the plaques on the doors were labeled in, unsurprisingly, Chinese.

Tsuna channeled into his demon side, allowing his senses to guide him as he continued on. It was a tricky thing, and a bit unreliable too, but the brunette had learned long ago that trust in himself was one of the key factors in hitting the right mark with his gut feeling.

After walking aimlessly for a minute or so—there was a terrifying amount of doors—finally, one of the entrances finally gained his demon's approval. Pressing his hand against the cold wooden surface, Tsuna pushed the door open, revealing a dusty room with only two shelves and an old chest of drawers in it. Coughing, the teen placed his torch into the bracket, letting the firelight illuminate the room and throw dark shadows over the wall. He scanned the books, up and down the shelves, left to right on each row, and waited. It took a while for him to relax his mind, and once again, his demonic senses did not fail him. After scanning the shelves for a third time, a papery volume on the upper left hand corner of the first shelf jumped out at him. Tsuna reached up, letting clumps of dust and grime fall as he pulled the string-bound book down. The material was so thin that he was almost afraid to touch it. Setting the book down on the floor, Tsuna carefully flipped through each page, scanning the text and images painted on the sides.

It wasn't until he'd nearly gone through every page that he found a painting that best depicted what he was looking for. It was a woman with long, ebony black hair and a thin, pointed face. Her eyes were shadowed and her expression was sour. She wore a blazing black cloak and a ruffled dress. A snake hung around her neck, its flat head poised up, forked tongue flickering. Tsuna's eyes followed the image down to a sketching of a circle. There were mysterious symbols drawn around the ring, and in the center, there were three dots marked in red.

Well. It didn't take a genius to know what the red stood for.

Tsuna got to work at once. He rummaged through the chest of drawers, finding standard tools such as ritual knives, papers, matches, ink wells and brushes. He pulled the ink and a brush out, sweeping the dust off the stone floor before pulling the book up, copying the summoning circle onto the ground. It took a few minutes for Tsuna to get the image right, and once he was finished, stepped back, lifting his thumb to his lips. Biting down sharply on the flesh, the brunette winced as he carefully smeared three droplets of blood into the center of the circle. Once that was completed, the teen moved back right against the wall. The memory of the overactive elements attacking him was giving him the shivers.

The circle glowed a dull, black-blue colour, but nothing happened as of yet. The inky shapes pulsed, squirmed, and suddenly, the stones vibrated and sucked the three droplets of blood away. Tsuna gulped, clenching his gloved hands to stead his nerves as the blue glowed a little more brightly. The ink darkened, and there was a hissing noise, like ice melting on a hot pan, and from the center of the circle, a woman rose from the ground, first translucent, and then turning into a solid being. The image in the book did her little justice; she was both ten times more beautiful and ten times more hideous than the painting depicted. Her hair fanned out in the non-existent wind, her eyes glowed like hot coals, and she wore a similar cloak, dress, and had a snake winding around her neck as well. Long necklaces accented her thin frame and old rings set with precious stones adorned her elegant but boney fingers. When Hecate set her eyes on Tsuna, the brunette could feel impending death coming towards him already.

"You've got nerves, boy," she drawled, sounding a lot like Abaddon. "A human who dares to summon me to such a dull, dank room like this is either very brave or very stupid. Which are you, boy?"

"That's for you to decide," Tsuna replied simply. "I'm here to ask to make a deal with you."

Hecate raised a smooth eyebrow. "My, my, getting right to the point. And why should I help you, worm?"

"I need you to help me force Abaddon to stand trial before the Fates on Judgment Day," Tsuna said, swallowing thickly.

At those words, Hecate's expression turned thunderous and she nearly exploded with fury. "_Abaddon_? How dare you speak of him in my presence! That spineless cheap talker! I swore that if I ever saw him again, I'd tear him limb-from-_limb_!"

"I-is that so?" Tsuna asked, twitching.

"Yes, that is _so_, human," Hecate sneered, throwing her mass of hair over her shoulder. "That power-hungry moron thought he could take me for granted, did he? All that sweet, nonsense talk about taking over the world together, ruling the Underworld with an iron fist, making me his Queen—"

"His Queen?" Tsuna repeated, and Hecate froze before turning to Tsuna heatedly.

"You know, human boy," she snarled. "Maybe I should turn you into a slug for having the impudence of calling me out in such a filthy place like this. A being of my power and influence ought to have more respect!"

Tsuna stared. It made sense now. Hecate hated Abaddon because of a love fling gone wrong. She wanted revenge. It was no secret that the Witch Queen was a dangerous being, and would be a very bad helper, but there was a factor that applied to all living beings: united by a common enemy. There was no doubt in Tsuna's mind that if he could convince Hecate that she'd help condemn Abaddon by helping the teen out, she'd agree to help.

"You're strong, aren't you, Queen Hecate?" Tsuna started hesitantly. "They say that you are Abaddon's greatest rival."

"Really now?" the witch snapped. "Who taught you to talk sweet, maggot?"

"Nobody," Tsuna answered, mentally flinching at the woman's rough mannerisms. "I was taught to tell the truth."

Hecate looked surprised. She narrowed her eyes before glaring at Tsuna. "What do you want, boy?"

"Like I said, I need to get rid of Abaddon," Tsuna stated. "If I can bring him before the Fates, they will bestow their judgment upon him and banish the King of Hell for his evil deeds. He'll be gone forever, and be weak, lost. But I can't draw him out myself. Only a being of equal or greater power can do that. The best candidate to lure him out was you, Queen Hecate."

The witch raised her other eyebrow. "Judgment Day? …I've heard of that."

"Abaddon's long overdue. If he goes now, he'll be doomed."

Hecate cackled, tapping her long-nailed fingers together. Her teeth were rather pointed. "This is too good to pass up! You say that I have to draw him out, boy?"

"Yes."

"Very well," Hecate sneered. "I'll help you out, in exchange for something."

Tsuna suppressed a sigh. He knew this was coming. "What do you want?"

Hecate tapped her lip thoughtfully, looking Tsuna up and down. "The usual charge I take from those who ask me for favours is time."

Tsuna swallowed. "Time?" he repeated.

"Yes. For a demon, or other supernatural beings, I usually take about five thousand years."

"F-five thousand?" Tsuna choked. That was insane!

"Don't be a fool boy, I know you're human," Hecate snapped. "Five thousand years of a demon's lifespan is roughly twenty years of a human's."

"Twenty years?" Tsuna said softly, staring. Of all things, why did it have to resort to something like this?

"Take it or leave it," Hecate sneered, glaring down at him.

"I-I'll do it," Tsuna said hastily.

"Good," the witch said, a cold smile on her face. She raised a boney hand and pointed it at Tsuna, a sly expression on her face. She crooked her finger once, and suddenly, Tsuna jerked forwards. It felt as though all the air had been knocked out of his lungs. His stomach twisted painfully into knots, and he suddenly felt tired, as though he'd gone for days without sleeping. From his chest, a glowing ball of orange slowly escaped him. It was about the size of a child's fist, and it pulsed in time with Tsuna's heartbeat. The orange ball flew towards Hecate, who caught it in her hand, and smiled crookedly down at the teen.

"That's ten years," she informed, and Tsuna jerked again as the exhaustion increased, his vision wavered and he fell to his knees, feeling light-headed and dizzy. An orange blur streaked by him and flew towards the witch, who caught the second ball in her palm. Inspecting it, Hecate shrugged and said, "The deal is done. As the laws of the universe states, I, Hecate, Queen of the Witches, am bound to my word, and to the deal made with the human."

There was a pause, in which the witch closed her eyes and grimaced like she ate something rotten, and then straightened herself regally. "We're finished here," she snapped, stepping out of the circle to stand in front of a panting, drained Tsuna. "I don't blame you, boy," she smirked. "Having twenty years taken off you is taxing, is it not? Do you feel as though death is coming close already?"

"I feel _fine_," Tsuna hissed, standing up and brushing his sweaty bangs back. "Let's get this over with now. There are demon hunters in this building, so please don't do anything to hurt them. I'll explain the situation."

Hecate snorted, crossing her arms. "Do what you like," she scoffed loudly. Tsuna glared and walked tiredly out of the room, taking the torch with him as he went. Hecate remained in the room for a moment, which remained dully illuminated by the two glowing orange spheres of Tsuna's lifespan. The witch smirked. Taking another being's duration was always a useful source for her. It worked great with spells, and if she ever needed it, Hecate could use it to gain more power, and with more power came more benefits. She'll be damned if she could only get something as measly as twenty years off the human boy. Equivalency or not, five thousand years was more than 'a lot' in comparison to twenty.

From the folds of her cloak, Hecate drew out three more glowing orange balls, almost laughing to herself at the human boy's naivety. Did he really think she'd just take twenty years? Fool.

She now had a total of five glowing spheres.

Fifty years she'd stolen off Tsuna.

Throwing her cloak over herself and hiding the spheres away, Hecate pasted a smooth smile over her face and stepped out of the underground room as well.

Now all was left to do was draw out Abaddon, and it would killing two birds with one stone.

* * *

><p>The dream Tsuna had was about the time Giotto turned into a demon, and how he turned into a demon as well. I had fun writing about that, meep. I made Hecate more evil that I originally planned. That was fun to do as well.<p>

Thank you for reading!

-BlackStar


	13. Chapter 13

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

I think I've been a bit too brutal to poor Tsuna lately. First he loses Reborn and then fifty years off his life. I've always thought that Tsuna would end up living to around eighty years old…so I guess he'll live to thirty now? Man oh man. I was guessing that Reborn would be alive until he's ninety or something. Wouldn't that be a hard forty years. But I'm not that cruel, haha…or am I? : )

And I'm sorry I'm late with this chapter. My school work finally caught up to me and I haven't slept for two days ;_; I promise not to be so slow next time! –bows-

Song of the day: Amazing (U-Kiss) As recommended by my friend Kaiten.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirteen<p>

Hell was as every bit filthy, unpleasant, and horrible as Reborn remembered it last. Only this time, he was flanked by the King of Hell himself and over a hundred of his minions, all marching down a giant, rounded tunnel. Their footsteps echoed as one massive sound due to the sheer numbers walking along with them. Abaddon was a little ways before them, wearing an incredibly smug expression on his face that Reborn wanted desperately to punch off. The air smelled of rainwater, earth and death.

And all he could think about was Tsuna.

His Tsuna.

Reborn hoped that the brunette would have found a way to call for help by now. He didn't like to think of his boyfriend lying on the forest floor for longer than he had to. They came to the end of the passage, which fed into a grand hallway lit up by hazy blue fire. The walls were made of polished stone that almost looked as though there were images of people moving within them, but whether or not it was just the reflection of the fire light or not, Reborn couldn't be sure. There were statues carved out of black marble lined up along the blood red tiles pasted on the floor. A giant pair of double doors was placed on either end, and across from where the group was entering, right in the middle of the hall, an entrance led to another part of Hell.

"Well, it's been a long walk," Abaddon said smoothly, turning around to place a hand on Reborn's shoulder. "Why don't you—"

_Click_.

Reborn tilted his head with a cold look in his inky black eyes at the other, gun pointed right against Abaddon's forehead.

"Don't. Touch. Me," he snarled, unflinching when the King of Hell's grip tightened on his shoulder. Abaddon gave a very forced smile.

"Indeed. Well, you may go rest up and refresh yourself, if you wish. I'll have dinner be brought to you."

Reborn shrugged the hand off and stalked his way down the hall, his fast and furious footsteps reflecting his frustrated demeanor. Abaddon watched him walk, aware of the fact that the demons were hissing in anger.

"My Lord, we can't just let him disrespect you like that!" one of the witches snarled, crackling her long fingers.

"Let us give him a punishment," bemoaned a hooded ghoul, his breath rattling in his throat.

"There will be no need for that," Abaddon said coldly. "He will be your leader as of tonight. You will address him as 'Lord' and carry out his every wish as you would have done for me."

"But my Lord—"

"No arguments." Abaddon snapped before turning on his heel and heading off to the doors at the other end of the hall. The demons muttered amongst each other, be eventually filed into the passage leading out of the hall. Their chatter and footsteps died away after a while, leaving the place silent and still as it had been before.

Reborn leaned against the door, listening to the last of the steps fade away. His room was large and spacious with a high arched ceiling and decorative columns scattered around the room. The bed was a large, king-sized one with thick coverlets, plush pillows and heavy, gold-thread embossed drapes. There was a carved table with a bowl of fruit on it, a towering wardrobe and a full length mirror, and the carpets on the floor were soft and smooth to the touch.

And Reborn was suddenly taken by the memory of the room he and Tsuna shared at the temple. It was small by comparison, but that comfortable space where he'd sat with the brunette, play wrestled with him and pulled his lover to bed was the only other place he'd even consider staying in again. He _hated_ this hideous room.

Reborn vented his feelings by kicking the table over, letting the bowl of fruit smash to the ground and took a seat on the floor across the room, where there was no carpeting, only smooth earth. There was a knock on the door, which he ignored, and a second later, a pair of witches poked their head in, looking disgruntled.

"We heard something break, my lord. Is anything the matter?" Judging by the twisted look on their faces, using the word _lord_ was clearly something akin to eating a salted lemon, but nonetheless they had been forced to respond to the sound, probably on Abaddons' demands.

"Get out," Reborn snarled, glaring.

One of the witches hissed while the other glanced around the room, noticing the broken fruit bowl. With a huff, she pulled out her wand and waved it. The shattered pieces flew back together and the overturned table scooted upright. Barely a second later, a bullet was discharged, breaking the fruit bow once again. The witches jumped, spinning around to look at Reborn, who had his gun out.

"I told you to get out, not fix to bowl," he growled, and the witch had a mutinous look on her face.

"As you wish, my lord," she sneered before backing out with her partner, slamming the door behind her. Reborn rolled his eyes as he heard them whisper furiously together through the thick door. Typical.

He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling.

Reborn hated feeling helpless. It was a weak, useless, frustrating thing to know that he was forced to sit still and do nothing. What would the others say? He knew for sure he'd broken Tsuna's heart by doing this, but he hoped that the brunette wouldn't do anything rash or stupid.

It wasn't worth it. With any luck, maybe Tsuna would listen to the others and stay calm.

Hopefully.

* * *

><p>Truth be told, Tsuna didn't feel any different. He didn't look any different either, which was a relief. It would hard trying to explain how he'd gone from being a twenty year old to a forty year old man. That would be <em>awkward<em>. He hurried along the dark passage, listening to Hecate glide along the smooth stone floor behind him, her long dress and cloak rustling like snake scales scraping over bumpy surfaces. They arrived back at the trapdoor leading out into the dining hall and Tsuna stopped, catching his breath.

"Remember," he turned, giving Hecate a stern look. "Let me explain, and don't do anything unnecessary."

"How about you do the talking, mortal," Hecate sneered, "And I'll stand here looking gorgeous, no?"

Tsuna rolled his eyes and pushed the door open, allowing light to stream in as they climbed out from the underground. He could hear sounds in the hall as the monks rushed about their chores and the heated discussion between the Overking and the hunters. Tsuna took a deep breath and stepped out from the shadows into the hall.

Dante noticed him at once and gurgled happily, waving his fist at the brunette. Tsuna smiled in spite of himself. The baby was just too cute, but back to business. He cleared his throat loudly, hoping to catch the other's attentions. It did.

"Tsuna!" Colonello said, startled. "When did you get up, kora?"

"A while ago," Tsuna replied, clasping his hands together.

"How are you feeling?" Verde asked, a critical eye roaming over the brunette, a small frown on his face.

"Good," Tsuna replied with a strained smile, chewing the inside of his lip. It was no or never. "Listen, I've got a…proposal that might help us take down Abaddon."

"What?" Lal said, frowning.

"How?" Mukuro asked, turning around in his seat.

"One moment," the Overking said suddenly, standing up. There was a dark look in his eyes. "Sawada, is there something you aren't telling us?"

Sharp. Tsuna swallowed and said, "I'm about to explain that, Overking." He turned and gestured for Hecate to come forward, which she did in all her dark, glowing glory. She smiled frostily at the hunters, a black misty haze hovering around her slightly levitated form. She looked beautiful, but at the same time, cruel and unappealing. The light from the mid-morning sun contrasted with her dark aura and pale skin. There were several hollers of shock from the table.

"What is that?" Colonello shouted.

"Tsuna! What did you do?" Fon yelled, a stunned look on his face.

The Overking drew himself up to his full height and glared down at Hecate, his voice low and dangerous. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, looking between Tsuna and the sorceress.

"I brought her here!" Tsuna said quickly, holding his hands up. "Listen to me! This is part of the plan!"

There was an uneasy silence, but the hunters slowly stepped down, staring between the brunette and the evil woman. The Overking looked as though he wanted to blast Hecate right out of the temple, but he pressed his lips together and looked at Tsuna as well. The teen hurriedly launched into an explanation, starting with the shard's words, his summoning of Hecate, and how they worked out a deal to take down Abaddon. At the mention of the deal, Tsuna didn't hesitate; he plowed on about sacrificing some blood instead of twenty years of his life for her help. When he finished, Lal's eye was twitching, Colonello, Mukuro and Verde looked uncertain, and Fon had a deep frown on his face. The Overking gave Tsuna a skeptical look.

"And that was all that vixen asked for?" he rumbled.

_No, she asked for two decades off my life, no big deal_, Tsuna thought, but he nodded firmly. "That was all."

"I don't approve of this," Verde said at once.

"It's our best chance," Tsuna argued back.

"There are a lot of pitfalls to this whole 'plan'," Verde shot back, getting to his feet. "Firstly, you're acting on the words of a talking piece of sword that you said was given to you by a demon. That's shady enough already. Secondly, this is a force of evil, Tsuna. Anybody who's on par with Abaddon's power _and_ on the dark side will not be a good ally!"

"There's nothing shady with the blade," Tsuna said firmly, but Verde shook his head.

"Listen, kid, any kind of inanimate object that can think for itself should never be taken lightly. How many of those are there? The rarer the artifact is, the more power it holds, and the more dangerous it is. Especially since its power came from an infusion with a _palantír_. Do you know what it even is? It's a seeing stone that gives visions to mislead. Essentially, the messages are the truth, but not necessarily the best option. Believing in one is pointless. The first thing you should've done is chuck it out!"

"No!" Tsuna blurted out. "It's important to me!"

"What's more important, your safety or that piece of scrap metal?" Verde asked heatedly.

"I can protect myself!"

"Oh, sure, and you did a real good job of that yesterday night," Verde snarled, and Tsuna felt as though the scientist had punched him. Fon jumped in at once, pushing the two away from each other. Unknowingly, they'd ended up almost nose-to-nose in their debate.

"Stop it, you two," Fon snapped. "Verde, Tsuna's just trying to do his best, and Tsuna, Verde's only looking out for you. We don't need conflict here right now."

Hecate cackled loudly in the background, making everyone glare at her. "Oh, I do love a good argument," she snickered. "You all act like insects fighting for territory! I love it!"

"Shut up, bitch," Lal snapped. Hecate stopped laughing immediately.

"What did you say?" she snarled, glaring down at Lal. The hunter didn't flinch, and the atmosphere was thick with tension as the two women initiated a stare down.

"Stop it!" Tsuna snarled at Hecate. "We don't need any more trouble!"

"Lal," Colonello said, pulling his wife into a half hug. Dante cooed from his bundle. Lal looked furious, but she said nothing, choosing to glare at the floor instead.

Tsuna heaved a breath. "Please, trust me on this," he said imploringly. The others exchanged looks. There was a moment of silence before Mukuro stood up, limping over to close the maps and books they had spread out on the table.

"There's no stopping you, is there, Sawada?" he asked, giving the brunette a half-glance behind his back. "You and Reborn are so alike. You're all half dead and you try to fight. You do stupid things and try to cover up with a stupider story. Are you sure your deal didn't involve anything else?"

It was obvious by the look on Mukuro's face that he didn't buy the blood sacrifice thing at all, and probably even less than the other hunters, but Tsuna stuck adamantly to his story. Mukuro could probably figure out the reason why he looked fatigued and tired, but that was for him to know.

"That's all there was."

The blue-haired man's expression clouded over and he fixed Tsuna with a stare. Then, he shook his head and said, "Stubborn, I say…" He hopped out from the bench, tucking his medical tools under his arm. "Well, you've come so far already, haven't you, Sawada? I'll second your little project."

Tsuna heaved a suppressed sigh of relief. Verde glared at Mukuro and Fon looked worried, but Colonello shrugged as well and said, "We might as well."

"I will be watching this over," the Overking stated as he rose from his seat. "Excuse me for a moment."

The others watched him go, and Hecate huffed. "It's too bright here," she growled. "And too full of useless mortals. Get out of my way," she snapped, pushing Tsuna aside as she melted into the shadows, taking the form of a giant, double headed snake in the shade. The brunette huffed at her before looking over at the other hunters.

"Tsuna," Fon said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know you're upset, but you could have asked us for help too."

"I know that," Tsuna replied, pushing his bangs back tiredly. "But I know what I'm doing as well. I messed up. If I hadn't gotten hit in the forest, none of this would have happened. Reborn wouldn't have gone with Abaddon to save me."

"Don't go blaming yourself now," Fon chastised firmly. "We'll bring Reborn back, okay? Our forces grow larger each day. The nymphs have joined out battle too. Nature spirits are very powerful beings. So long as we keep fighting for what's right, something good will come out of this."

Fon's positive words could be a bit contagious, Tsuna decided as he returned the other's smile. Would everything be alright?

His greatest fear was if he'd have to fight against Reborn. Would he have to? He'd never battle against him. Did this whole exchange make them enemies? Things were getting much too complicated.

"Tsuna? Are you okay?" Fon asked, snapping the brunette out of his thoughts.

"I'm okay," Tsuna said quickly. "Just tired. I'll go put my head down for a bit."

Fon nodded. "Don't push yourself."

Tsuna agreed, and after promising to take his time and rest well, he started down the hall and back up to his bedroom. When he cast a look back, he could see Hecate in her double-headed snake form watching him go. Tsuna glared.

The snake only flicked her two tongues, as though taunting him.

_You can't win against me_.

* * *

><p>Their plan was to start at dawn the next morning. They had no idea what Reborn would be doing in the Underworld, but because of the time transitions, they could not afford to drag the operation out. The space in front of the temple was cleared out and the monks were arranged in battle formations surrounding them in case things go haywire. Hecate stood at the far end of the circle with Tsuna while the Overking, the Archangels and the hunters stood guard before the temple. The morning sky was cloudy and misty from a short rainfall last night. The earth was muddy and damp as the sorceress and the half-demon stood before the summoning circle made for the Fates.<p>

"Are you ready?" Tsuna asked Hecate, who huffed and gave him a dirty look.

"Don't talk to me like you're my equal," she sneered as she took a step forwards into the circle. Hecate raised her arms, holding them aloft as she began to chant in a low, hissing voice. The flat-headed snake around her neck squirmed and rose hypnotically in time with her words. The ground shuddered and moaned as the circle contracted and expanded in a way likewise to a heartbeat; slow and steady.

The Queen of Witches drew out a sharp dagger from her cloak and held the short, sharp blade high into the air, her chanting growing wilder and wilder before she cut her own palm open, allowing a splatter of blood to paint the ground. Hecate tucked her knife away into her cloak as the snake slithered out over her hand, flicking its tongue over the cut that was already healing over. The circle stilled, and just as the summoning circle Tsuna had offered his blood over had done, the droplets of red were sucked in. The patterns began to glow a crisp, clear white. A single beam of white shot up to the sky and parted the clouds briefly before the mists knitted together again, forming an angry, black storm brewing over the temple. The wind picked up, making the leaves dance and the trees bend over. Tsuna channeled into his demon, eyes blazing orange as three hunched figures descended from the sky in a flurry of black robes that made Hecate's look like scrap pieces of cloth.

They landed with a ground shaking _thump_ despite their size, and slowly straightened up. Hoods were pushed back, revealing a short young girl of about ten with long raven hair, a woman of twenty with similar black locks, and an old lady near her seventies with wispy white hair tied back. They stood proud and regal, observing the situation around them.

"My ladies," Hecate said, smiling sweetly as she curtsied. "I am here as a humble sorceress to make a request of you."

"Then speak," the young woman said coldly. "We have little time and patience for practitioners of the dark arts."

Hecate looked as though she wanted to throw something at the Fate, but she kept her composure. Clearly ridding Abaddon of his powers was more important.

"As a one of the most powerful counterparts to the King of Hell, I request that Abaddon, Ruler of the Underworld, stand Judgment Day for all the crimes he has commited."

"On what grounds do you summon him?" the little girl asked, the look on her face frighteningly mature for a ten-year-old.

"By the testimony of these demon hunters and monks of the temple Luce," Hecate gestured to the crowd around her. "Abaddon has waged a brutal war upon them, and they wish to keep their world safe. I am their ally; they have summoned me for help."

Verde made a noise near the back, but Hecate pretended not the hear him. The oldest Fate heaved a deep breath, her pale eyes piercing each and every being standing in front of her. Her gaze lingered on Tsuna and she frowned, turning her gaze to the confines of Hecate's cloak. But then, she straightened a little and announced, "Very well. We, the three Fates, Keeper of Time and Weavers of Stories, command Abaddon, King of the Underworld, to rise forth and stand trial!"

The winds picked up ever so slightly, and for a moment, nothing really happened. Tsuna bit his lip and glanced around, his hands clenched into fists. What was going to occur next?

A rumbling noise from the forest shook him, and everybody turned to stare at the border just before the trees as birds took off into the sky, wings flapping desperately. From the depths of the ground, an unnatural black haze rose like a mist in springtime. The low rumbling sound grew louder and louder as a giant crack opened up in the earth and crumbled away to form a ramp. There was a roar like a lion's call as Abaddon arrived in his plated chariot, drawn by similar beasts as the hunters had first seen, flanked by his entire army. Tsuna's heart jumped when he saw a familiar figure walking at the very front of the crowd.

Reborn.

But before Tsuna could react, or even hope to call out his boyfriend's name, Abaddon spoke, and his voice shook them to their very core. It was unlike the sneering, snobby tone he'd used before to mock them. This time, his voice was dangerous, cold, and made sure that every single being at the temple knew exactly why he was the King of the Underworld.

"So," Abaddon said, a vicious smile twisting his face as his eyes smoldered in fury. "I've been summoned by a bunch of filth and riddle-speakers. I can promise you all that none of you will have long to live."

Tsuna swallowed thickly, his instinct already screaming for him to run. Even Hecate was standing frozen next to him, dwarfed by Abaddon's power. The monks moved back and the hunters stared on stiffly. Reborn looked over at Tsuna, and judging by his lover's expression, the dark-haired man was warning them just how bad the situation was turning out to be.

Tsuna's insides felt like ice.

What had he done?

* * *

><p>I'm sorry this was short. And I'm sorry I'm late again! I promise to write faster next time ." Forgive meeeee.<p>

And now we have an angry Abaddon standing trial. I know I'm going to have fun writing the next chapter, haha :'D

Thank you so much for reading!

-BlackStar


	14. Chapter 14

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

I'm sorry for the unexpected cliffhanger in the last chapter :'D The way the story flowed just made it that way, kyu. Also, I've finished writing the last…two chapters of this story, I think? I'm wondering if I should put a third one in, but that depends on how this chapter goes. Gya…writing can be difficult~

Thank you to everybody who reviewed or favourtied! :'D We're almost done!

Song of the day: Serenade (Versailles)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fourteen<p>

It was like standing in a lion's den, facing the hungry predator glaring you down with cold, merciless eyes, seeing the muscles tense under its lethal body, just waiting to pounce onto their meal. In this case, though, Tsuna rather felt that they were the ones who had willingly walked into their own demise.

The atmosphere was suffocating.

The three Fates appeared completely nonchalant as they stared Abaddon down, standing smack in between the former King of Hell and the hunters. It was ridiculous how the other's rage seemed to have no effect on the deities whatsoever, but then again, it wouldn't be the Fates who would be taking the blunt of Abaddon's fury once all this was over. Tsuna felt incredibly lucky that they hadn't been flattened out right now.

There was an ominous silence.

"Well?" Abaddon asked, glaring around. "What do you all want from me?"

"Abaddon, former King of Hell," the little girl said loudly. "You are summoned here today by the powers of Hecate, Queen of the Witches, Sorceress of Darkness to stand trial upon your Judgment Day for all the crimes that you have committed.

Abaddon's face contorted in anger. "Judgment Day?" he roared, slamming his hand down on his chariot. Reborn's expression hardened, and the demons behind Abaddon sneered. Behind Tsuna, he could hear Verde groan and say, "We're fucked."

"I will _not_ serve my day of trial," Abaddon snarled. "Not by the likes of that whore!"

"It is not your position to—" the old lady began, but Hecate, upon hearing the insult, shrieked like an angry bird and drew herself up to her full height, snapping out of her cowering stance.

"Whore? _Whore_? You dare call me such a thing, you filthy, useless, greedy, insufferable narcissistic pig!"

Abaddon's face reddened, but Hecate wasn't finished yet.

"Oh, I know how you are, you prick," she hissed venomously. "You pretend to be powerful and mighty, influential and strong when in reality you're scared to face three other women! Ha! Are you going to try and seduce them too? Make false promises? Try and worm your way out of trial like the pathetic insect you are? If you truly are what you claim, stand your trial! Prove to us that you are the manliest king the universe has ever seen!"

There was a deathly silence following Hecate's words, broken only by the hissing of Abaddon's followers and the pounding heartbeat in Tsuna's ear. Every one of them knew that Abaddon was stuck. There was no way he'd survive the trial, but he was too proud to let an offence like that go. Growling profanities under his breath, the former King of Hell stepped off his chariot, standing on the soft earth before the Fates and the hunters.

"So be it," he rumbled. "Present me my verdict."

Tsuna's heart leapt. It was working! Abaddon had fallen into the trap willingly, and this could very easily be the end of their war. Everybody watched tensely as the Fates gestured Hecate forwards, claiming that she needed to be part of the ceremony as it was her powers that summoned Abaddon forth.

"Why me?" she protested loudly, yanking her cloak tightly around her with a fierce glare. "The foolish mortal is the one that summoned _me_, make him stand with Abaddon!"

Across the garden, Reborn looked as though he was going to tear Hecate's head off her shoulders for the mere suggestion, but the young Fate glared at the witch and snapped, "The boy would perish under our power. Hurry up and stand!"

Hecate grumbled and hissed, walking forwards with her chin held high. Abaddon glared menacingly at her as they stood around the Fates, who were clustered together with their backs against one another. They began to chant in a low, harmonious voice, swaying back and forth in time with each other, and around all five spirits, a glowing golden ring began to form. Smoky figures rose up from the light, which showed Abaddon torturing nature spirits, setting forests ablaze and slaughtering humans in a rabid massacre. Other images spun by dizzyingly, displaying other gruesome and treacherous deeds. Abaddon watched on with his mouth set into a thin line. No doubt he knew what all his evil acts will do against him. Hecate had a look akin to triumph on her face, while the hunters, the Overking, the Archangels and the nymphs looked disgusted, furious and horrified. Tsuna swallowed the lump in his throat at the disturbing images.

The Fates chanted louder and louder, and Abaddon's face paled drastically as the smoky images began to drift upwards and condense itself into once giant ball of golden flames that grew larger and brighter.

"Stop!" he roared, stepping back, but ran into the edge of the circle, which was apparently keeping him in. "Enough! Stop this foolishness!"

"Nobody can!" Hecate screeched. "You're done for, Abaddon! The Fates will cast your judgment upon you now!"

"NEVER!" Abaddon howled, shielding his face from the blinding light.

"Abadddon, King of Hell," the youngest Fate began.

"For your evil deeds and crimes committed against the earth and all forms of living beings," the young woman said coldly.

"We hereby sentence you to three hundred centuries of imprisonment beneath the Realm of Darkness, in your own Hell, and ban all possibilities of ever regaining power in the future," the eldest Fate declared.

There was an overwhelming gasp from everyone. Tsuna could feel his heart rise in hope, and Reborn's jaw dropped, staring at the scene unfolding before him. Colonello, Lal, and Verde all shouted in shock and Mukuro looked honestly surprised. Fon bowed his head, exhaling heavily. The other deities were nodding in agreement, while many more were proclaiming that Abaddon should receive a heavier sentence. The Overking had a grim look on his face as he stared his enemy down.

"We, the Fates, condemn Abaddon upon this Judgment Day, and declare him guilty of his heinous crimes!"

The ball of golden light burned vividly like a torch in the night sky, making everyone squint and shield their eyes. Tsuna, the closest, had to cover his face completely, peering through the gaps of his gloved hands. Abaddon was shouting incoherently, writhing, trying to evade the burning beams of light, and it even looked as though he was starting to burn away.

Their enemy, as gruesome as the way he was being punished, was finally receiving what he deserved. They were all _finally _receiving some closure upon this war.

Tsuna exhaled in relief. This was ending. After such harsh, painful battles and the loss of so many friends, the war was nearly over.

And then, the youngest Fate snapped her head around and her piercing glare anchored itself upon Hecate's robes.

The Queen of Witches immediately sensed that something was wrong, and she made to leap out of the circle, but the bonds threw her back, and the sorceress ended up sprawled over the earth with a shriek, holding her side. At once, the giant ball of light vanished, and the morning sky dulled, dimly lit by the barely risen sun obscured by the clouds. Tsuna's heart dropped like a stone.

"Wait!" he shouted, rushing forwards. "What's going on?"

"Nothing!" Hecate screamed, scrambling to her feet, a wild look on her face. She pointed an accusing finger in the Fates' direction. "What are you three doing?"

"You have something to hide," the middle Fate hissed, and with a swipe of her pale hands, Hecate's cloak flew aside, revealing her muddy dress, winding snake and five glowing orange orbs. Tsuna felt his insides turn into ice.

"The years!" he cried, staring. "Why—why do you have five orbs? That's...that's _fifty_ years of my life?" Tsuna gasped in shock, and then looked up at Hecate, eyes wide as the pieces clicked together in his head.

Damn it _all_.

He'd been tricked.

"Hecate," the smallest Fate said cruelly, walking right up to the sorceress, "You have violated one of the oldest and most reverend rules of this universe. Deals between humans and supernatural beings are not to be taken lightly. You lied to the half-human. You stole fifty years off the boy when you promised to only take twenty. You've robbed him of his life!"

"What?" the hunters chorused, shocked. The Overking exhaled heavily, a dangerous look on his face.

"I thought you said you traded blood?" Verde shouted. "You told us the sacrifice was blood, Tsuna, not your life!"

"I—I—" Tsuna stammered, feeling his knees go weak. Everything was so messed up. But there was only one thing he was afraid of.

And it came upon him. In the form of a shocked and very, very, _very_ angry Reborn.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi!" Reborn bellowed, breaking free from the lines of the demons and running up, grabbing Tsuna by the collar and literally hauling him off the ground, holding the teen up and shaking him so hard his teeth rattled. "What in the name of fuck did you _do_?"

"I didn't—it was the only way!" Tsuna pleaded, trying to wrench Reborn's hands off him. "I'm sorry!"

He didn't expect the punch that nailed his jaw with a bone-jarring crunch that made him stagger backwards the moment his feet hit the ground, clutching his face, tasting blood, and staring up at Reborn with wide, stunned eyes. The elder man looked positively furious.

"You—you weren't born yesterday, Tsuna, why the hell would you ever consider making a deal with some bitch like her? Are you an _idiot_?"

"I'm not!" Tsuna shouted back. "I was only trying to get everyone out of the mess I made!"

"This is even worse!" Reborn shouted, and Tsuna felt the truth shatter his soul. Reborn was very right. Right now, his plan had backfired completely, and he didn't have any backup. He turned to the Fates, knowing what would happen already.

"What of this trial?" Tsuna whispered, his voice shaking ever so slightly.

The youngest Fate looked at him impassively, but for a split second—and a second only—she looked almost sympathetic for him. "Hecate had discredited the deal made between the two of you. Therefore, our summoning here has lost its credibility and value because of the falsified information. For her actions, Hecate will be punished—" the Fate waved her hand, and Hecate was suddenly screaming, twisting and turning into a pile of black on the ground. The snake around her neck hissed in agony and turned into an earthworm while Hecate twitched, stiffened, and shattered apart like a broken statue. Her clothes dissolved and blew away in a breath of wind as ashes until the five orange spheres remained. The Fate waved her hand again and they flew towards Tsuna, merging with the brunette's chest. The teen heaved a gasp, suddenly feeling a burst of energy flowing into him, and fell back on his knees, holding his heart. He hadn't realized it, but it felt as though he had gone from being an old man back to a twenty year old. It was a scary sensation.

"Are his years returned?" Reborn demanded sharply.

"All fifty of them," the eldest Fate replied.

Reborn pressed his lips together, but his shoulders relaxed visibly.

"Serves her right, that bitch," Abaddon snarled, regaining his composure and asshole attitude. "So tell me, Fates. What about me?"

The young woman fixed Abaddon with a severe glare. "Because Hecate's summoning was invalid, your verdict this Judgment Day is hereby revoked."

"NO!" Colonello and Verde shouted together.

"You can't do this!" Lal yelled, her navy eyes burning.

"It's the rules," the Overking said suddenly, resentment seeping through his voice. "Most unfortunately. I was looking forward to seeing that scum cowering in his kingdom."

"As if that would ever happen," Abaddon sneered at his nemesis. He stood up, no longer held back by the blinding light, and smirked at Tsuna and Reborn. "I'm a man of my word, won't you say? And I told you that the half-breed will die if you tried any funny business, didn't I, Reborn?"

"Don't you dare!" Reborn snarled, starting forwards, but Abaddon suddenly raised his hand and Tsuna screamed, dropping to the ground as he clawed at his chest, writhing in pain and agony.

"Stop! STOP IT!" Reborn bellowed, grabbing Tsuna and pulling the brunette against himself. Abaddon smirked.

"I don't think I will."

Reborn paled as everyone drew a collective gasp.

Abaddon clenched his fist tightly and Tsuna jerked violently, inhaling sharply before going still in Reborn's arms. The dark-haired man froze, nearly letting the teen fall onto the earth.

"Tsuna? Tsuna? Tsuna! Tsuna, wake up!"

But Tsuna didn't move. His head lolled back and forth against the crook of Reborn's elbow, limp and motionless. Reborn could feel his blood freezing in his veins as he shook his boyfriend, yelling the brunette's name over and over again. This couldn't happen. After all they've gone through, there was no way Tsuna could die just like that.

"Tsuna! God damn it, Tsuna, open your eyes!"

Abaddon was laughing, quite cruelly, and then, it was Fon that came flying out of nowhere and struck him, sending the demon falling backwards, barely able to regain his footing. His eyes narrowed down on the martial artist as Fon flew towards him again, and the two clashed in a fury of fists and strikes. Seconds later, Colonello, Lal, Verde and Mukuro appeared, attacking Abaddon one after the other, their teamwork impenetrable and completely solid. They had no plan, but it looked as though all the hunters were reading each other's minds; their assaults fit perfectly with one another's.

It was as though Reborn's world had closed down on him. He stared down at the peaceful face of Tsuna, and he found himself pleading to whatever deity existed that the brunette would open his eyes again, be it orange or brown, he didn't care. A strange kind of wetness was running down his cheeks and stinging his eyes, and it was then that Reborn realized he was crying. He pulled Tsuna's body against his and cradled his lover in his arms, shaking.

Reborn cried.

It hurt and he felt weak and it was the single most stupid thing he'd ever done, sitting in the middle of a battle zone, but all Reborn could think was the promise he'd broken.

He said he would do whatever he could to keep Tsuna safe. He owed it to the Sawada brothers, because if neither of them had met him, they wouldn't be dead now. Their lives would still be intact, and they could have stayed together, grown up together, and enjoy the life that was now only a lost dream.

Someone was shouting at him, but Reborn could barely focus. He looked up, and to his surprise, he saw the youngest Fate grabbing his arms, urging him to get up off the ground. Like a puppet, Reborn complied, lifting Tsuna up and followed the girl off to the side just as the archangels and the demons collided in a clash of weapons and magic. Warriors from either side began to fall, some dissolving into ash and others dropping to the earth in a dead faint as the others stepped over their bodies, crushing against one another in close combat.

"This way!" the girl said firmly, grabbing Reborn's sleeve and pulling him off to where the hunters were battling fiercely against Abaddon. The other two Fates were standing there, silently watching, and when the girl brought the elder hunter up to them, the oldest woman reached out to touch Tsuna's face, her wrinkled face turning down into a frown.

"What are you doing?" Reborn said jerkily, not wanting to sound rude but fully ready to tear his boyfriend away from the old woman's hand.

"Calm, human," the Fate murmured. "I am reading into the curse Abaddon had placed upon him."

Reborn's heart skipped a beat. "And what if it?" he asked at once.

"It can be reversed," the young woman said suddenly.

"What? How?"

"The workings of the curse," the elder woman said. "Can only be controlled by the King of Hell. Abaddon is not the ruler of that realm, for he gave up that position to you, human, yet he forcefully wielded that power upon the half-human. In accordance to the laws on power distribution, he has violated those terms just as Hecate had done. The effect needs to be reversed."

The young girl reached up and pressed her hand over the brunette's heart. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, and barely a second later, Tsuna suddenly gasped, eyes flying open and jolting upright in Reborn's arms, reflexively punching the dark-haired man in the jaw.

"Whuaaa—?"

His words were cut off as Reborn suddenly yanked the teen tight against him, squeezing the life out of the brunette.

"You god damned idiot, Tsuna! If you ever do something as stupid and reckless as that again, I swear to god I'll kill you!"

"You—I—where—?" Tsuna stammered, his hands scrambling to wrap around Reborn as his chest heaved with the labour of breathing, almost hyperventilating. "How—Reborn—I need you—"

"I'm sorry, Tsuna," Reborn whispered, his voice tight as he pulled Tsuna even closer. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't—I didn't—"

"Don't say it," the brunette pleaded softly. "I'm sorry for acting so recklessly."

Reborn pulled back, nodding, hardly able to speak, and couldn't resist pressing his lips quickly against his boyfriend's, savoring the petal soft feeling before grabbing the brunette's hand. "Let's go."

Tsuna nodded, clenching his fists and quickly morphed from a mitten-wearing teen to a glove-wielding half demon, eyes ablaze with anger and power. The two left the Fates behind as they leapt into battle, joining the hunters, all of whom were momentarily startled by Tsuna's appearance.

"What on earth?"

"Tsuna?"

"How is this possible?"

"The Fates!" Reborn shouted, covering for Fon as the martial artist advanced, plowing his way through Abaddon's furious handiwork. "Abaddon had surrendered his title to me, and therefore broke the rules regarding the curse he placed on Tsuna. It was reversed!"

"Damn straight, kora!" Colonello shouted gleefully, managing to clap Tsuna on the back while reloading his rifle. "That'll make the bastard mad!"

And it obviously did, because Abaddon's face was an ugly mask of rage as he fought against Fon and Lal, effortlessly taking on Mukuro as the doctor slipped into the fray as well.

"You think you scum have cheated me?" Abaddon snarled. "You're still mortal! I'll destroy every single one of you!"

"And what if your opponent _isn't_ mortal?"

Abaddon looked up in shock as the Overking burst out from nowhere, striking down on the demons' face with his pearl-encrusted sword, forcing Abaddon to duck and scrambled backwards far, far away to avoid getting his head cut off.

"YOU!" he bellowed in rage.

"Me," the Overking said calmly. "I'm your enemy too, filth. Don't forget I am equal to you in power."

"Equal, but old," Abaddon sneered. "You've expended too much power trying to revive this world. You won't last against me! Once you lose the endurance match, I'll level you and kill these human scum as well!"

"Indeed I am not as strong as I was back when I was fresh to my role and brimming with power," the Overking admitted, "But unlike you, I know when to accept that my time is up. I can readily hand over my powers to someone stronger to carry on the future of the Heavens."

"What?" Tsuna said, aghast. "You're…giving yourself up? You can't do that! Overking, you're still strong! You can do this!"

"I thank you for having faith in me, Sawada," the Overking smiled. "But by giving up my aging powers to a new vessel, the strength would be recharged, and you will have an even greater asset."

"What are you going to do then?" Tsuna asked weakly, looking up pleadingly.

The Overking gave him a knowing wink before turning to the group; and more specifically, a certain dark-haired hunter. "Reborn, would you do me the honor of taking over the title of the Ruler of the Heavens?"

"What?" Reborn asked, startled.

"What?" Tsuna babbled, jaw dropping.

"_What?_" the others repeated, staring back and forth.

"I won't let you!" Abaddon howled suddenly, lunging forwards, but he was quickly intercepted by all of the hunters, all doing their hardest to throw the demon back. The Overking turned to Reborn with a very serious look on his face.

"If you accept my powers, they will cancel out Abaddon's strength in you. His dark powers will vanish, and it will be many, many centuries before anything remotely similar to his powers will appear again. Magic collects over time and gets stronger with every successor. I believe that you, Reborn, will have the power to do great things."

"I—" Reborn started, but he gave a sigh and just shook his head in tired amusement. "Why is it always me?"

The Overking chuckled. "Perhaps that's because you have not only the strength and will to control such abilities, but your will to fight and your courage to survive despite all hardship makes you a rare and valuable being on earth. What good is a person who doesn't have the means to fight for what matters most to them? You've seen it all, done it all, and you came out alive. And I am certain that you have the means to survive this war too."

Reborn gave the old spirit a steady look. "You're the second person to place so much faith in me."

"And who would the first be?"

Reborn's gaze shifted towards the grounds, where his lover was surging forwards with his comrades, matching blow for blow with the demon they were fighting against. The Overking watched on, a peaceful smile on his face.

The Overking placed a hand over Reborn's heart. "It's time," he said, but he wasn't talking to Reborn. The Fates had mysteriously appeared next to them, all with solemn, serious faces.

"Is this your final decision?"

"Your best choice?"

"There is no turning back."

"I am certain of this," the Overking said firmly, and his entire body started to glow. It was a peaceful, milky white colour that filled the dying lands with calming radiance, so powerful and entrancing that every being fighting had to stop and turn to look towards the exchange. As the light began to pass over Reborn, the Overking began to dim, and slowly but surely he was fading away like a picture that had been placed facing the sun too long, or a layer of patterned frost melting away from a windowsill on a cold winter morning.

This was the Overking's sacrifice.

"It is time," the eldest Fate said.

"The new generation has begun," the young woman proclaimed.

"Reborn," the youngest girl said, looking up. "Bring this dying world back to life."

Together, all four supernatural beings vanished; the Overking cast Reborn a knowing nod before he was nothing but sparkling dewdrops rising into the sky like tiny lights against the murky atmosphere. Reborn watched them vanish, one hand closing tightly into a fist as his other hand reached into his jacket to pull out his gun, snapping the safety off with a _click_ that echoed around the temple.

It might take all day, weeks, or even months to achieve the task the Fates had requested of him. But Reborn would never break a promise. Especially this one.

His eyes met with Abaddon's, and sparks could almost be seen from the heat of their anger clashing against one another's.

"Stand down, boy," Abaddon snarled, raising his spear.

Reborn watched as Colonello, Mukuro and Verde pointed their guns, Tsuna and Fon clench their fists and Lal lift her rifle. They would be scattered in this fight, and there was no guarantee that they would come out as one.

It was reality. But they were fighting for an even better one.

"You wish, Abaddon," Reborn retorted coldly, taking aim. A single gunshot signaled the start of another brutal, painful fight as both sides clashed in the ruined, bloodstained grounds of the dying earth.

The gloomy sky rolled with thunder, and everything descended into cold, black chaos once more.

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><p>Here we are, Chapter Fourteen! This will soon be the longest fanfiction I've ever written, whao. Thank you to everybody for reading!<p>

-BlackStar


	15. Chapter 15

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

A random note: I wrote Chapter 15 before Chapter 14. Aren't I awkward? Derp derrrrp. :'3

Thank you to everybody who reviewed and kept up with this story for nearly a month already! It's almost over :'D I love you guys, uwhaaaa~ Thank you for all the feedback as well! -chu-

Btw...Mammon won't be appearing. I'm sorry .""

Song of the day: Fall for You (Secondhand Serenade)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifteen<p>

They dragged themselves like limply back to the temple when the fight came to a partial halt due to massive casualties on either side. There were some still fighting, but many had already retreated to the confines of their bases, bruised, bloodied, and exhausted. The temple itself was in near shambles; two-thirds of the building had been completely destroyed and the rest was reaching that stage. Dirt, rubble, and garbage littered the lawns, where the once smooth green surfaces had been roughly torn up and trampled on. The doorway was blown apart, and the halls were filled with injured monks tending to their wounds. Reborn helped Tsuna limp over a giant chunk of the ceiling, and the brunette clung to his boyfriend, his face streaked with dust and grime with tear trails running down it.

The dining hall was packed with people recovering from the battle. It smelled dizzyingly of disinfects, blood, and smoke. It was a terrifyingly painful sight. The two hunters passed by the injured and walked over the destroyed segment of the wall into the gardens behind the temple: the water gardens, which had received the least amount of damage. The fountains and ponds were ruined, but the river was still running through the carved stone trench and the grass wasn't completely unearthed.

Here lay the dead.

Tsuna made a noise in his throat and his hand tightened painfully on Reborn's hand. There were rows and rows of bodies lying on sheets on the ground, nearly a hundred in total, while more were being moved laid to rest. Monks were sitting around the fallen, crying for their brothers and friends, holding each other for comfort. The hunters walked around the side, and Tsuna almost choked; Dino, the leader, was lying on one of the sheets near the edge of the row, surrounded by several tearful monks. Lying next to the blonde was Squalo, the silver-haired man, and the two other bodies next to him were covered with a sheet, but spikey blonde hair and soft brown locks poked out from under the white cloth.

"Bel…Basil…" Tsuna whispered, staring. Reborn closed his eyes briefly, pulling Tsuna along. It seemed only yesterday that the four monks were standing under their bedroom window early in the morning, gardening and throwing their sandals at each other.

A crowd in front of them moved, and suddenly, Reborn was walking forward, Tsuna stumbled along, towards a raven-haired man kneeling in the ground closest to the waterside. It was Fon, and for the first time Tsuna had seen him, the martial artist was not smiling. His expression was slightly dazed; his eyes unfocused, tears running quietly down his face. A few more people in front of Tsuna moved, and the teen finally saw who was on the ground.

It was Lal and Colonello.

They were lying side by side, and they did not die prettily. But their wounds and scars showed that they had fought and perished heroically. Their bodies were nearly worn down from their injuries. The white cloth hid most of their injuries, but blood still seeped through the fabric, staining it a vivid crimson. Tsuna sucked in a shuddering gasp of air, heart breaking into pieces at the sight before him. Reborn stared down, his eyes wide, shoulders stiff. Fon blinked, and then looked up slowly, as though just noticing the two standing next to him.

"Tsuna…Reborn…thank goodness, you're okay…"

Reborn made a sound similar to a dying animal and kneeled to the ground as well, bloodied hands seizing his hair, pulling. Tsuna whimpered and reached for his boyfriend, pulling Reborn into a tight hug, letting the dark-haired man rest his forehead on his shoulder.

"Damn it—" Reborn stuttered, his entire body shaking. "Damn it, damn it, damn _it_."

And Tsuna could only think of one thing amidst the tears running down his face and the sobs racking his small frame:

Dante. Poor, poor, baby Dante.

"I'll kill Abaddon," Reborn snarled, wiping his eyes, trying to stand. "I'm going to kill him; I'll tear that bastard apart—"

"Reborn!" Tsuna jumped up and grabbed his boyfriend, blocking his path. "I'm sorry, Reborn," he bawled, staring up with pained, watery brown eyes. "I'm sorry for Colonello and Lal. I'm sorry your friends died, Reborn, but don't do anything stupid, don't do it, just—sit down, please, please…"

The elder struggled momentarily, but then he stopped, and Tsuna blinked. He looked up, and realized that Reborn was looking at something over his shoulder. When Tsuna turned his head, his felt another painful blow to something deep inside of him, so agonizing that his legs went limp and he fell on all fours, shuddering as he tried to control his choking sobs.

Verde was walking up the row of bodies, dusty and grimy like all of them, a thick roll of bandage wrapped around his head, and in his arms, he carried Mukuro, who was still and pale, his torso wrapped in layers and layers of stained bandages. Fon let out a quiet groan behind the brunette, and Tsuna felt Reborn's arms wrap around his middle, pulling him back up to his knees so he could hug the teen tightly. The scientist laid the doctor on the ground next to Lal and Colonello, grabbing one of the sheets a passing monk handed him. In an unexpectedly gentle manner, he tucked the cloth over Mukuro's body, neat and tidy, and sat down on the grass. He gazed at Lal and Colonello's bodies, pulled his spectacles off wordlessly and passed a hand over his face, liquid welling up in his electric green eyes.

Seeing Verde of all people cry seemed to have the biggest impact on them all. Fon hung his head, taking a shaky breath, and Tsuna broke down, his voice cracking as he clung to Reborn, shuddering with suppressed sobs. The dark-haired man closed his eyes, pulling Tsuna up to him as tightly as he could, cradling the brunette's head in his arms.

"Why…?" Tsuna whispered. "Why is this happening? Why? _Why_?"

Nobody had an answer; and Tsuna hadn't been expecting one. But the moment of grief was short lived a terrified shout could be heard at the front of the temple. The hunters all jumped, staggering to their feet, and raced for the ruined gardens. As they tore through the dining hall, monks, nymphs and Archangels were dashing out of the way as the ceiling shook and dust fell. Abaddon was outside, advancing into the temple, and he was destroying everything. It was awfully dirty of him, attacking by himself while both sides were at a temporary truce. Tsuna felt his blood boil over; his misery and rage merged into one giant ball of uncontrollable emotion.

"ABADDON!" he shouted, allowing his demon to take over, and Tsuna jumped right for his enemy. The King of Hell did not expect the sudden attack; he was thrown backwards off his chariot as Tsuna collided into him. The brunette could hear Verde and Reborn shouting after him, but his hands were moving on their own, slamming his knuckles in to Abaddon's face, his other hand holding the monster's throat in a chokehold. But as quickly as Abaddon had fell, he regained control and threw Tsuna off him, sending the brunette flying into the debris.

"Tsuna!" Reborn bellowed, fending off the Nemian Lion with his knife.

"Pay attention!" Verde snarled, tackling Reborn with all his might and sending the two of them sprawling in the ground just as the lion's maw closed down upon them. There was a violent yell of pain and Verde jerked back, clutching his shoulder, and _his arm had been bitten off_.

Tsuna's stomach turned over as blood sprayed the ashen tiles. Verde pulled himself away from the giant wildcat, his face contorted in pain, and Fon was suddenly next to the scientist, holding him upright as Reborn jumped in and slashed the lion's eyes out with practiced arcs, blinding the animal. Taking advantage of the injured and distracted enemy, Fon tore his robe off and wrapped it over Verde's wound as tightly as he could.

"Verde!" Tsuna shouted, rolling aside to dodge Abaddon's strike. The spear slashed through stone, sending sparks flying.

"Run, half-breed!" Abaddon sneered, turning on his heel to glare down at Tsuna, eyes wild and frenzied. "Run like an insect back to your nest! I'll get you! I'll destroy you all!"

"Tsuna—" Reborn grabbed the teen as Tsuna collapsed in his arms, tripping over the uneven floor.

"He's going to unleash a lightning bolt!" Tsuna cried, his heart slamming against his chest. The power was frightening. It'd fly all the way into the gardens, and it would kill everybody in its path.

"I'll stop him," Reborn breathed, closing his eyes as he began to glow in a hazy silver, channeling into the powers the Overking had bestowed upon him. Tsuna swallowed and clenched his fists.

"I'll stand with you."

"No," Reborn snapped, eyes focused to the front. "Tsuna, go back—"

"I'm standing with you," Tsuna repeated, walking up so that he was level with Reborn. He pulled his gloves off and reached out his hand to weave his fingers through his lover's, tightening his grasp. "Let me stay, please."

"You are an idiot, Tsuna," Reborn whispered, squeezing back.

"I know," the brunette replied, feeling his heart racing wildly like a bird in flight. "But only for you."

The blow came before they could really anticipate it; it was Reborn's reflex that saved them. A giant, rounded white shield expelled from the silver haze and deflected the first shot of lightning, and then clashed head on with the next wave of electricity. The power of the oncoming attack made Tsuna's hairs stand on end, and he held onto Reborn even harder, throwing his other hand out to push against the shield, bracing it with his whole body.

If they fell, everybody falls. This was something they could not lose.

But even as those thoughts filled the two hunter's mind, Tsuna could feel the slow disintegration of their defence. Abaddon was too strong; it was the harsh, sad truth. Reborn knew it as well, because he pushed back even harder, and Tsuna did the same. If they were going to die, they would not do it half-heartedly. It would be an insult to Lal, Colonello, Mukuro, Dino, Squalo, Bel, Basil, Byakuran, Yamamoto, Alaude, and hundreds more that had died or sacrificed themselves for a better future.

Tsuna could feel his palms burning against the white haze, his shoulders straining, and tears forming in his eyes. He wondered if he'd see Giotto again, or if he'd get to meet Cozart. He wondered if Reborn would want to see them too. The electricity pulsed against the shield, and Tsuna jerked, a spasm going through his body, and something fell from the pocket of his burning coat.

The shard of Yamamoto's blade went clattering to the floor, old, chipped, and battle-worn.

It glowed.

There was a great gust of wind that lifted Tsuna's hair and made Reborn jump, turning around to see white mist rising from the shard, turning opaque until it had some impenetrability about its shape. It was a man, tall and handsome, with spikey hair and a determined look on his face very similar to his younger brother's.

"Giotto!" Tsuna screamed in utter shock, staring at the figure of his deceased brother. There was hardly any time to register thoughts or wonder how the man had appeared from the blade, because Giotto suddenly ran forwards and slammed his shoulder into the shield as well, bracing it with all his strength.

"Don't give up!" he said firmly. "There are others coming along!"

Tsuna's eyes widened as he tilted his head to stare at his older brother. "What do you mean?"

"He means us," a voice said from behind, and suddenly, an unfamiliar man wearing a dark jacket and boots appeared next to Reborn, pushing fiercely against the guard as well. The dark-haired man look stunned.

"Cozart?"

"Hello again, partner," Cozart Shimon smiled, leaning in with all his weight. "Hold on now."

"Stand firm, kora!"

"I'll _kill_ Abaddon if he so much as places a scratch on my son!"

Lal and Colonello ran forwards as well, pale as mist, palms against the force field. The shield creaked and slowly began to move forwards against Abaddon's violent power. The misty figures did not look solid, but apparently their strength was very real.

"Maa, maa," Yamamoto smiled, stepping out from the swirl of smoke. "Looks like I'll be helping out too!"

"Kufufufu, way to bring me back, Sawada," Mukuro smirked, joining the fray.

"I'll get Abaddon and his stupid dragon back," Byakuran growled, taking his place next to Yamamoto. "Hang tight, Tsuna, Reborn."

"Hmph. I can't believe you have to nerve to summon me here," Alaude snarled, punching the shield. "Die, herbivore!"

Tsuna was speechless. His friends, even if they weren't really _with_ him, were here; here, at the temple, fighting alongside them. It was like a spark of energy in a dying flame, and with renewed strength, they all pushed back, inch by inch, straining their very souls to protect those that were important to them. Abaddon stepped back, one foot after another, his face screwed up as he tried to keep his energy flowing. The light of the electric spear was dimming, and the glow of Reborn's shield was growing. With one final, desperate shove, the giant force field exploded forwards, throwing Abbadon back; breaking his lightning attack apart. But the shield didn't stop there. It expanded wider and wider, tearing down the front of the temple, shredding the floor to bits, and in one fell swoop, slammed into Abaddon, whose cries were lost in the roar of the wind as he disintegrated into ash. The demons on the grounds were scrambling away as fast as they could into the forest, but the shield blasted its way forwards, leveling everything in its path for as far as the eye could see. Then, a moment later, it shivered and vanished into the horizon, where a spot of orange could be seen in the distance.

Sunrise.

Tsuna stared. His legs wobbled, and with a yelp, he collapsed to his knees, feeling exhaustion seep through every pore of his body. Behind him, he could hear Reborn leaning heavily against one of the few intact columns, breathing hard.

"We…we did it," Tsuna stuttered, unable to tear his eyes away from the view before him. It was a messy, torn up lawn, crumbling forest and rubble strew left right and center, and the sky was slowly turning back into its peaceful, baby blue colour after twenty four hours of long, painstaking fights. The sun's rays were peeking out from the tops of the fluffy white clouds, a deep, vivid orange similar to the colour of Tsuna's eyes. He'd never seen something so beautiful in his whole life.

"You did it," Alaude repeated, walking up to observe alongside Tsuna.

"You won," Colonello said, grinning. "You won, kora, you won!"

And from the back of the temple, cheers could be heard. Those still alive and well got to their feet, put their weapons down and applauded, cried, and reached for one another, celebrating their hard-earned victory. Monks were rushing forwards to help Fon and Verde. The two hunters both gave Tsuna and Reborn worn out but brilliant smiles before disappearing into the rejoicing crowd. Tsuna turned around, watching in a dazed manner as new life began to spread, and the darkness began to retreat.

"This…this is…" he whispered. "Am I dreaming?"

"Far from it," Giotto said, placing a transparent hand on Tsuna's head with a smile on his face.

"How—how did you all come out of the blade?" Tsuna asked at once, standing. He longed to reach for his brother and hug him, but he knew that would be impossible.

"You summoned us, of course!" Yamamoto grinned, hand in hand with Byakuran.

"But…how?"

"Your heart knew what you were fighting for," Cozart said wisely. "It was for the people you had to protect—"

"—and the people who had died fighting against Abaddon as well," Giotto finished. "Thank you for fighting for us too. It was your resolve that gave us the strength to appear."

"I did all that?" Tsuna stared, awed.

"You and your overactive mind," Reborn smirked, bonking Tsuna lightly on the head.

"Hey!" Tsuna pouted, rubbing the sore spot. He watched as his boyfriend turned to his brother and Cozart, a strange look on his face. Reborn looked as though he wanted to say something, but he couldn't get it out. Fortunately, Giotto saved him the awkward moment of hesitancy.

"Thank you for taking care of Tsuna, Reborn."

The dark-haired man looked startled, but he nodded. "I…yeah, no problem."

"You better not break his heart again," Giotto said severely, and Cozart laughed, pushing the blonde aside.

"Oh shush, I think Reborn's just a hopeless romantic."

"I am not a hopeless romantic!" Reborn shouted indignantly, directing a glare at Colonello as the blonde burst out into laughter. Even Alaude looked mildly amused.

"Well…" Giotto smiled again, looking a little sad this time. "I know it was only a short amount of time, but…"

Tsuna bit his lip. "I know," he whispered, looking at all of his friends. "It's time to go, right?"

Giotto nodded. "Sadly," he replied, his eyes suddenly looking watery as well. "You've grown so much, Tsuna. I—I'm sorry I didn't come to Parents' Night in the end."

Tsuna blinked, and blinked again, and this time, he couldn't help the tears streaming down his face. He sniffled loudly, heart swelling at the realization that his brother _remembered_, of all things, remembered that Tsuna had once wanted to bring him to his school so that the boy could smile and tell everybody proudly, "_This is Giotto, my older brother!_"

"It's okay," the brunette chuckled. "It was only my teacher who was really disappointed."

Giotto laughed as well, reaching out to ruffle Tsuna's hair before placing a kiss on his little brother's head. "I love you, Tsuna. I'll always watch over you, so you'll never be lonely, okay?"

"Okay," Tsuna replied, bobbing his head quickly. "I love you too, Gio."

"Tsuna? Reborn?"

The two hunters looked around to see Colonello and Lal standing with their arms around each other, smiling a little sadly as well. Lal was crying and wiping her face as quickly as she could.

"Look…look after Dante for us, please? And let him know that his mom and dad loved him very much, kora? And that we're extremely sorry we won't be there for him when he needs us."

Tsuna swallowed a hard lump in his throat, his tears starting to rival Lal's, but Reborn nodded and said, "I will. We'll both look after him, and I know Fon and Verde will as well."

"Thank you," Lal said quietly. "Thank you very much."

"No problem," Reborn replied tightly, looking down. It occurred to Tsuna that Reborn was saying goodbye to his family, just like he was saying goodbye to Giotto again. Lal and Colonello had been like a brother and sister to the dark-haired man, and despite all the usual sibling antics, there had always been the underlying notion of care and love for one another. It was a very difficult thing to acknowledge that they'd never see each other again.

"Tsuna?"

The brunette jumped when Mukuro spoke to him, a strange look in his mismatched eyes.

"Yeah?"

"In London, in my lab, there's a letter for my sister. I wrote it before I left for China, and I…I haven't written to her since I left my family. Could you just mail it to her for me? She'll know who it's from once she sees it, and she can tell that I won't be coming back. Could you make sure she gets it?"

"Yes," Tsuna nodded. "I promise."

"Good. Thank you as well," Mukuro smiled, and for the first time, the doctor was actually _smiling_ smiling. It was a sight to see, and Tsuna felt that he would've appreciated it more if it wasn't farewell for them all.

"I'll miss you guys," Yamamoto waved, grinning. "I'm glad I got to meet you two in my lifetime!"

"You used the shard well," Byakuran approved. "I knew I left it in good hands."

"Hn," Alaude grunted. "Well done, carnivores. I'll be expecting London to remain disciplined, or else."

"We'll be going now, kora," Colonello said. "Thanks again."

"Watch yourselves, Reborn, Sawada," Lal said sternly.

"Bye," Cozart waved.

"Take care," Giotto said softly. "We'll always be here for you."

And like that, the figures began to disappear, vanishing into thin air like mist in the morning sun. Tsuna watched on, wiping away his tears, and managed a shaky smile as his brother faded away last, giving him a comforting gaze in return. The broken blade on the floor rattled before falling apart, breaking into dozens of tiny splinters. It was useless now; all its power had been drained. Tsuna understood that he'd never be able to use it to call upon his friends, but he wasn't really sad over that fact. Somehow, it felt right. The dead, no matter what, could never come back. And all the living could do was continue to walk onward and mend the spaces left over as time moved along. It was just the way things were.

"Tsuna…"

But this; this was what he had been dreading facing. Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, spinning around to face his boyfriend. Reborn stood a little ways from him, still glowing with the massive amount of power the Overking had sacrificed himself for the hunter. Reborn looked so majestic and strong that Tsuna could almost picture him as the new Ruler of the Heavens. Almost.

"Tsuna, I—"

"Stop!" Tsuna burst out, finally letting go. "Don't say it, I know what you're going to do!"

Reborn looked confused. "What?"

"Go for it," Tsuna whispered, clenching his hands into fists as he fought to smile through his tears. "I—I'll miss you a lot, but it's the way things are, isn't it? To be honest, I'd much rather see you as the leader of the Heavens than the King of Hell. Now that Abaddon is dead, you'll be able to build a much better world without the dark forces in your way. I know you'll do well. I _know_ you'll rule justly."

Reborn's eyes softened, and a sad smile crossed his face. "Is that what you think, Tsuna?"

The brunette nodded fiercely. "Yes. That's exactly what I think."

Reborn closed his eyes momentarily, sighing. "Thank you, Tsuna. For not believing that I'm a monster."

Tsuna managed a laugh despite his heart feeling like it was being shredded into bits. "How could I? Look at what I am. I'm in no position to judge." He sniffled, wiping at his face before looking his lover straight in the eyes. "I love you, Reborn. Thank you for loving me as well. I—I'll see you eventually, I hope."

"Tsuna—"

"Goodbye," Tsuna said softly, and he turned. Every last bit of his body felt numb, in pain, and broken as he walked, but he knew he couldn't stop. Reborn had the potential and power to do great things for this world. Who was he top stop his lover? The world needed somebody better than Abaddon, and Reborn was chosen. Tsuna shuddered with suppressed sobs, fingernails digging into his palms. Moreover, Reborn was immortal now. He couldn't stay with a human…or a half-human.

Things were just getting so complicated.

Tsuna stumbled a little in his steps, eyes searching for the exit, crying like he'd never before, and a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind, looping around his waist and pulling him in. Tsuna screeched in surprise, spinning around to stare at the other. "Reborn! What are you doing?"

"Don't you remember what I said?" Reborn asked, lifting a hand to hold Tsuna's face lightly. "That day in the Grimm Office a year ago?"

Tsuna stared, confused, making Reborn roll his eyes and flick his boyfriend on the forehead teasingly.

"Home is where the heart is. I'm the happiest when I'm with you, so I said I'd stay with you forever."

Tsuna's face managed to turn a brilliant shade of red upon recalling those words, jaw dropping in shock. He couldn't believe Reborn had actually remembered that short, sappy exchange in their London home.

"You—you actually remembered that?"

"You make me sound like an idiot," Reborn muttered crossly, kissing Tsuna on the cheek. "Yes, of course I remember that. And I'm also a gentleman, if you can remember that as well—" Tsuna snorted dubiously "—_laugh all you like, brat_, but a gentleman upholds his promises."

And when Reborn closed his eyes, the same hazy white mist began to rise from him, disappearing into the air around them. The glow around the dark-haired man was dimming, and with a jolt of realization, Tsuna finally understood what Reborn was doing.

He was giving up all the power the Overking had given him. He was renouncing the title of the new Ruler of the Heavens and immortality.

For Tsuna.

All of it, for Tsuna.

"What are you doing?" the brunette shrieked, grabbing Reborn's shoulders. "Stop! Don't you know what you're giving up?"

"All I know is that if I take on this power, I'd lose the single most important person to me," Reborn shot back fiercely. "And in my opinion, not even all the power in the world is worth a sacrifice like that. The world will be balanced without the Overking' and Abaddon's power. Right now, there probably won't be another war for centuries. Can't you imagine living a peaceful life? And the only thing I have to do to get that is to give all this up," Reborn gestured to the haze around him. "And I'll have you. I think that's all I'll need."

Tsuna's eyes swam with tears, but he couldn't stop the wobbly smile that stretched over his dusty, wet face. "You're an _idiot_, Reborn. I—I can't even—"

"Shut up," Reborn ordered, grabbing Tsuna's face with his hands. "Just shut the hell up and kiss me."

Tsuna did, and as the last of the white mist finally disappeared, the two of them stood at the front of the demolished temple, holding each other tightly, taking comfort in the warmth of their embrace. It had been a long, long day and they were just as exhausted as anybody else was, but even though Tsuna's legs were shaky and Reborn's wounds desperately needed a change of bandages, they held one another, kissing under the refreshing morning light.

This war was finally over.

"You're not leaving?" Tsuna whispered when they broke apart for air, looking into Reborn's dark eyes with wide brown orbs.

"Nope," Reborn replied, leaning his forehead against the teen's.

"You're staying?"

"Forever."

"Reborn?"

"What?"

"I love you," Tsuna smiled, hugging his boyfriend tightly. Reborn chuckled, winding his arms around the other as he gazed out at the brand new day.

"I love you too."

* * *

><p>Lal and Colonello's death was partially inspired by Tonks and Lupin's death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I cried for half an hour when I read it, and did the exact same thing when I watched it in theaters. I felt horrible when I saw it. Just horrible. They had so much to live for, and then, poof—it just disappeared. All of it.<p>

But! Epilogue next chapter! Thank you for reading thus far! –bows-

-BlackStar


	16. Epilogue

The Bureau of Unexpected Tales

Whao; we're doneeeee :O This has been so much fun writing, uwahhh~ Thank you very much for your time, everybody :3 After this, I hope I'll be able to continue to improve my writing, and not to rush things too much! I know I get a bit repetitive at times too, so hopefully, I'll fix that as well ^^

Now...onto the finale? :)

Song of the day: Marchin' On (One Republic)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Epilogue<p>

_-Nine Years Later-_

_May 2__nd_

_Southern China_

They say all old forests have their stories. Each layer of soil holds the tracks of the creatures that once stepped upon its surface, every fold of bark marked a new year, the wind that rustled through the leaves have circled around the area over and over many, many times. It was a pleasant day of the late spring. The weather was starting to get warmer, probably because it was already nearing June, which meant that all the creatures of the forest, even the supernatural, were out and about. Several baby trolls lumbered down the path by the stream, gurgling and splashing their way into the water for fish. But no sooner had they stumbled into the refreshing liquid did they all freeze, their hairy ears twitching and flicking back and forth. Then, before the trolls could move, two figures came crashing out from the trees, and the small creatures shrieked loudly in shock before scrambling for cover.

A giant, cat like figure leapt clean over the bank in one powerful pounce, chasing down a human as he sprinted through the waters and into the bushes, scrambling away from his foe.

Dante Mirch dove through the trees, sliding easily through the gaps between the sprawling trunks, taking great care to weave in complicated patterns, trying to throw off the giant thing hunting him. It looked a lot like a panther of sorts, but perhaps twice as big, with tense muscles that shifted powerfully along its back and shoulders and raking claws that tore through the bark and undergrowth. Three hideous yellow eyes blinked in unison, narrowed down upon the target it was chasing. Dante slid under a fallen tree before diving for a larger one, scaling up the branches, settling in one of the mid-level limbs. Breathing hard, the boy secured himself, peering down at the ground below him.

He was tall for a nine-year-old, like his parents, and had a thin, heart-shaped face with wide baby blue eyes. His blonde hair was long enough to be tied back into a ponytail, which currently several twigs and leaves had stuck in it. Dante impatiently brushed the loose strands back, barely breathing as the giant, demonic panther finally came prowling into sight below, sniffing around the trunk, its three eyes scanning the area. Dante exhaled softly, almost noiselessly, knowing that a single sound could give away his position. He was armed; in his hands he held a long, carved bow and strapped to his back was a silver quiver filled with feather-fletched arrows. Sliding one of the long, thin projectiles out, Dante quietly loaded his bow, his gloved hand brushing by the fletching ever so slightly.

The panther walked past his tree, pawing loudly through the leaves about ten feet away. Dante shifted his body sideways and raised his bow, leveling the tip of the arrow with the panther's back. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he drew back with only the slightest _creak_ of his wood, which did not go unnoticed by his enemy. The panther's ear twitched as it raised its head a little, scanning the perimeter. Dante pressed his lips together and exhaled through his nose, feeling the steady _thump, thump_ of his own heartbeat.

Anchor.

Aim.

Fire.

His breath whooshed out of his lungs barely a second after the arrow left; his hand only jerking slightly in recoil. A sneaky strand of hair flew forwards and caught against his cheek, petal-soft against skin accompanied by a tickling sensation. The arrow streaked through the clearing and nailed the panther in the back of the neck, making the beast howl and writhe. Dante immediately grabbed another arrow, and with quicker movements—he didn't have to worry about giving away his position now—shot one, two, and three more arrows in succession. It hit the panther in the neck again, its shoulder, and one through the eye on its forehead. The creature moaned and slumped lifeless on the forest floor before falling away into ash, blown aside by the wind.

Dante grinned at his success, leaping down from the tree to observe the remains. There were only bones left, but there was one in particular he was looking for. Lifting aside the giant ribcage, the blonde located it: a sharp, jagged white appendage that was a feature exclusive to the giant cat. It was naturally sharp, and for some reason, grew in the panther's body. Dante wrapped his hand around the end of the bone and broke it off with a satisfying _crunch_, weighing the material in his hand. It was lighter than he expected, which was a good thing. He'd been hoping to be able to turn it into a hunting knife.

Wrapping his prize up in a piece of cloth before dropping it into his pouch, the boy made his way out of the forest and back up the rolling hillside, locating the long river that still ran alongside the hanging mountain cliff. There was a shadow cast over the other part of the forest where his home was, which was a relief from the beaming afternoon sun. Dante waded across and hurried along the path until he came to the paved clearing leading up to the temple.

The grounds were deserted save for two men outside; one of them was sweeping while the other sat on the rocks, smoking a cigarette.

"Uncle Fon!" Dante shouted, running up. "Uncle Verde, look what I got!"

Fon and Verde both looked over at the sight of the young boy hurrying up to them. Fon smiled and put down his broom at once; walking over to observe the giant bone Dante had retrieved. The years had done little to change his appearance: he was wearing his usual red robes with his sleeves rolled back and dark pants with comfortable flat shoes. Fon's hair had grown out a bit, perhaps, and he no longer kept the habit of tying it into a braid. It now hung in a long, waist-length ponytail that looked very much like a raven-dark waterfall.

"Where did you get this, Dante?" Fon asked, running a finger over the sharp edge.

"A panther in the forest," the blonde grinned. "It had three eyes!"

"Have you been going through your father's records again?" Verde called out, putting out his cigarette before standing up and walking as well. He looked uncharacteristically laid back due to his lack of lab coat and usual dress shirt. Instead, the scientist wore a worn-out wife beater and a pair of slacks similar to Fon's. He tucked his hand into his pocket, rolling his shoulder back as he examined the bone.

"Nice catch," he grunted, clapping Dante on the back.

"Thanks," the boy smiled, beaming. "I did happen to find it in dad's journals. I wanted to make a knife out of this; dad said its texture is really sturdy!" Fon laughed and said lightly, "Well, you'd better keep it safe then. We were waiting for you, Dante. Why don't you go in and change before coming down for dinner? And put your arrows away nicely, I don't think I'll be able to stop laughing if I see Verde trip over them again."

"I didn't trip over them!" the green-haired man shouted indignantly, but Fon elbowed him in the stomach before shooing Dante into the temple. The boy ran in, followed by several twittering fairies he'd manage to befriend over the years.

"He's really growing up, isn't he?" Fon sighed, crossing his arms. Verde shrugged; the motion was slightly lopsided due to his missing arm.

"Did you think he was going to stay a kid forever? I didn't know you were_ that_ slow."

"Ha ha ha," Fon snapped, jabbing Verde in the ribs, making the man double over. "Dante will leave one day too. It might get lonely after that," he sighed wistfully.

"Che," Verde grumbled. "What am I, a potted plant?"

Fon laughed, sending a smirk over at the scientist. "Maybe. With that hair of yours, you could probably pass as one."

"Arse," Verde growled, pushing his glasses up.

"No swear words in front of Dante," Fon said firmly. "I'm surprised Lal and Colonello aren't swooping down to rip your guts out already. Mostly Lal, though."

"Dante's not here," Verde pointed out, making the other roll his eyes.

"Just because he's not here doesn't mean you can sprout out whatever nonsense," Fon shot back. Verde muttered something unintelligible, but then surprised the other by suddenly reaching out to fix a stray strand of hair escaping Fon's ponytail. Verde's hand lingered for a second longer before pulling back, tucking his one arm back into the pocket of his slacks, making a disgruntled noise in his throat. Fon looked startled, but bowed slightly in thanks afterwards, a smile gracing his features.

Verde turned on his heel and had started to walk away, but then he stopped, pausing a second to half-glance Fon's way. "You won't be lonely. I know I'm not the best company, but if you don't want to be alone, I'll stay here. For as long as you need."

Fon stared. He hadn't expected the other to say something like that to him. Verde suddenly turned a little red, made another 'tch!' sound and continued to make his way back into the temple. Fon let a brilliant smile cross his face as he hurried after the other intent on bugging the scientist elaboration on his words.

He wondered what it meant to find somebody to stay with.

Did Reborn have this feeling when he was with Tsuna as well?

Maybe he'd find out.

Dante was waiting for them when they entered the dining hall, sitting cross-legged on one of the benches while he carefully tied the knot on one of the fairy's bracelets for her. He was already growing into the same outdoorsy kid his father had once been; roaming the fields and forests eagerly, always looking for more places to explore. But he also had his mother's patience with certain things, and her skilled accuracy. That trait spread from carefully fixing a fairy's ornament to sitting in a tree for hours with his bow, waiting for his prey to come by.

Fon exchanged looks with Verde, who nodded, and the martial artist quickly walked over to a large, decorated box sitting on one of the other tables. Bringing it over, he quickly answered Dante's questioning look by pulling the blue ribbon off the top, revealing a beautiful chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. Strawberries, cherries and thin slices of dark chocolate were arranged decoratively around the edges, and there was a message written across the surface in blue icing. Dante's jaw dropped and his face lit up at once, staring in delighted surprise at his uncles.

Fon was smiling widely, and even Verde couldn't hold back a rare, amused chuckle as he reached out to ruffle the boy's hair.

"Happy birthday, Dante."

* * *

><p><em>November 13<em>_th_

_London, England_

"And I swear, that thing was nearly twice the size of my head, and it had these gross, hairy tufts growing out of its ears, and then—"

"Yes, yes," Tsuna said soothingly, a strained smile on his face as he sat at his desk, palm propping his face up as he listened to the middle-aged lady rant on and on about some supernatural household pest she'd encountered. It had been nearly three hours already, and the woman in front of him had narrated her problems so many times Tsuna could recite everything her speech back to front.

"Miss Arkinson," Tsuna began again, rubbing his eyes, "After a _thorough_ analysis of the vexation based on your description, could you possibly be talking about this creature?"

Reaching for a thick volume on the shelf behind him, Tsuna slammed a giant, dusty book on his table and flipped open to a section near the back. He pointed at the title on the top of the page, labeled _Northern Stout-foot Trolls_. A grimy old painting showed a hunched-over, grubby-skinned little guy rummaging through kitchen supplies. He had very hairy ears indeed.

"It's him!" Miss Arkinson shrieked. "It's him, by the gods, you must save me from that horrid thing!"

"I assure you, madam, that while other breeds of trolls are indeed quite deadly and have the tendency to tear their prey limb to limb while they are still alive, Northern Stout-foot Trolls are very harmless. They appreciate flashy silverware, hence you finding him in your kitchen. Generally they are thieves, but if they see a mess, they will be compelled to organize it for you. So I'm not really sure why that would be a bad thing altogether," Tsuna added, glancing around the room. Ever since they'd expanded the upper floor of the Grimm Office to accommodate living quarters, the place had turned into a total pigsty.

Miss Arkinson swallowed, her lip trembling. "But—but—"

"If you insist on being worried," Tsuna sighed, closing the book with a snap, "Then I suggest you place a couple of sliced lemons out. They can't stand the scent."

The woman brightened up at once. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Tsuna replied, writing out a note for her. "Here's a reminder. It's not our fault if you forget to put it out and the little guy ruins your kitchen again."

"Oh, not at all," Miss Arkinson giggled, taking the slip of paper. Both of them knew that the woman was more likely to go out for tea and shopping than remembering to put the lemons out. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Sawada!"

"No problem," Tsuna sighed, leaning back in his chair. "_Per favore non tornare_." (Please do not return)

"Pardon me?" Miss Arkinson asked, confused. Tsuna smiled wearily, a vein popping in his temple as he straightened up.

"Oh, nothing, just a little Italian phrase. Nothing like learning another international language."

"You speak Italian?" the woman asked, her eyes going wide. "Oh, how _romantic_!"

Tsuna twitched. "Well…you never know when you'll need to know various languages," he said.

"Indeed!" Miss Arkinson simpered, settling herself in the chair. "Do you know any other languages, Mr. Sawada?"

Tsuna mentally groaned. The woman was supposed to be leaving, god damn it! "Some Russian and Mandarin," the brunette replied testily. "Now, it's getting late in the afternoon, Madame. I wouldn't want you to walk home by yourself in the dark, no?"

"Oh, silly me! It is almost the evening," Miss Arkinson said, checking her watch. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Sawada…would you…" the woman smiled at him, flashing her shiny teeth. Tsuna wondered why the troll hadn't pulled them all out yet. "…would you accompany me back to my place?"

"No, I need him to help me with something," a voice behind her suddenly said, and both Tsuna and Miss Arkinson jumped as Reborn appeared from almost nowhere, carrying a large bundle in his arms wrapped in brown paper. Tsuna leapt to his feet, immense relief evident on his face at the sight of his boyfriend.

"Reborn! You're back!"

"Oh, good evening, Mr. Reborn!" the woman beamed, sidling up to the hunter. "Your partner had just suggested the most effective method to getting rid of the troll that's been terrorizing my kitchen!"

"Is that so?" Reborn asked, putting the bundle down as he reached over to the coat rack and handed the lady her coat. "Well, I do hope it works. After such a long discussion with my staff member I should expect it to be highly effective."

"Indeed!" Miss Arkinson giggled, pulling her coat on and accepting Reborn's arm. "I shall head down to the market right now and buy the oranges Mr. Sawada has suggested and decorate my kitchen with them at once! And—"

Reborn casually steered the lady out of the office and slammed the door shut, rolling his eyes as he fixed the sleeve of his jacket. "The woman's been here since two in the afternoon," he groaned. "How many problems _did_ she have?"

"One," Tsuna shot back, sagging into his seat. "I think I've just met the single most difficult customer in my whole career."

"Tell me about it," Reborn muttered, going through the closet for Tsuna's parka. "Hurry up and put your coat on; you've wasted enough time with her as it is."

"I don't wanna move," Tsuna whined, turning over in the chair with a pout. "I'm exhausted."

Reborn rolled his eyes again before walking over, poking Tsuna's side to make him squeak. "Get up, lazy."

"Never!"

A second later, Tsuna shrieked in terror as Reborn suddenly stooped and threw the brunette over his shoulder, letting the twenty-nine year old flail around like a fish out of water.

"Damn it, you're heavy, Tsuna," Reborn grunted, dropping his boyfriend unceremoniously on the floor in the middle of the office.

"Arse!"

"Yes, yes," Reborn grumbled, throwing the parka over Tsuna's shoulders before leaning down to kiss his lover lightly on the lips. "Aw, look at you," he smirked. "Almost thirty years old and you still blush like a schoolgirl every time I kiss you."

"Shut up!" Tsuna shot back, smacking Reborn's leg as hard as he could.

"Ow! Just hurry up and get your shit on!"

"I am!" Tsuna shouted back, leaping to his feet as he pulled the zipper up on his coat. "Did you get the flowers?"

"Who exactly do you think I am?" Reborn sneered, grabbing the giant bundle. Tsuna sniffed indignantly, but he reached for the elder's hand either way, taking comfort in the warmth that enveloped his cold fingers.

"Time to go?"

"Yup," Tsuna said happily. Reborn made a noise in his throat as the two exited the office, keys jingling as the dark-haired man locked up after them.

"Reborn?"

"What?"

"…you do know that oranges have a high tendency to attract trolls, mainly because that's their favourite foods, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Oh, nothing," Tsuna chuckled. "Let's go."

The mid-November sky was clearer than usual, without a cloud in sight. There was only sunlight streaming down over the busy city, where people hustled about, going about life as usual. It was almost evening, but it seemed like a particularly good day, so couples were heading out for dinner, parents were taking their children out for a stroll, and a group of teenaged boys were running off to the park with a football for another friendly game.

They headed down the street, hand in hand, the giant bundles in Reborn's arms, passing by a new division of buildings and shops that had opened up in the nine years' time they had returned to live in London. There were a lot more vacant lots still available for rent, but neither Reborn nor Tsuna had changed the location of the Grimm Office.

It belonged in the little alleyway. It just did.

They reached the graveyard a couple of minutes later after the usual walk to the edge of the city, a steep climb up a windswept hill, and pushing the creaky, rusted gates open. The old yew tree had lost its leaves already, bent over and crooked like an old grandmother, but still protectively sprawling its limbs over the two gravestones resting in the long and witling grass. Tsuna helped unwrap the bundle, revealing two beautifully wrapped lilies. He placed the flowers on the ground the same way he did every year and bowed his head, placing a hand over the lumpy surface of the stone.

"It's us again," he said. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You make us sound old," Reborn grumbled, fixing his bundle of flowers over the other stone. "I'm only thirty-five, not a sixty year old man."

"We miss you a lot," Tsuna said loudly, rolling his eyes. "And we hope you're resting peacefully. London's gotten busier, Alaude, but in a good way. They're expanding the police force with a government grant again this year, so everything will be even more orderly than usual. And Yamamoto, the Grimm Office is prospering as well. I guess even without mayhem and disorder people still find the need for supernatural consultants."

"We sold your old desk last month to make the rent," Reborn interrupted helpfully.

"Reborn!" Tsuna said in exasperation. "Must you turn every sweet message sour with the brutal reality?"

"I'm just being honest," Reborn smirked.

Tsuna rolled his eyes and smiled sadly down at the graves. "We'll be back next year. See you then, guys."

"Hurry up, it's cold," Reborn complained, but even as Tsuna punched the elder in the arm as he made his way down the hill, he saw the dark-haired man carefully rearrange the lilies so they wouldn't blow away wind when he snuck a look back. It warmed the brunette's heart immensely. Reborn was a nice person, really.

Most of the time.

"Can you believe it's been nine years?" Tsuna sighed, slipping his hand into his lover's as they walked.

"Yup," Reborn replied without missing a beat. "Why?"

Unfortunately, he did not anticipate the vicious head butt coming his way. "What! What was that for!"

"You're an arse!" Tsuna shouted, pounding his fists against Reborn's chest. "Why do you always make fun of me!"

"Because you're easy to tease, silly," Reborn sighed, dragging Tsuna into a tight hug.

"Meanie," Tsuna grumbled, reluctantly hugging back. "I feel old," he protested.

"You are _not_ old, Tsuna," Reborn complained. "Live with it."

"I am," the other said brightly, "In quite a lively manner too."

Reborn stared down at his lover, thinking back. It had been a long time. He could vaguely remember the first time he'd run into Tsuna, quite literally, in the alleyway in front of the Grimm Office. They'd almost killed each other by accident due to a misunderstanding, which led to the start of a beautiful relationship, complete with pitfalls and near-death experiences and kidnapping.

Lively might be a teensy bit of an understatement.

Strangely enough, it was all dawning on Reborn now. Everything they'd been through, more thick than thin, they'd overcome. Tragedies and indecisiveness had hindered them and sacrifices had nearly torn the two apart, but in the end, here they were; back home, back with each other. For two broken souls with dark, dark pasts, their future was finally starting to look a little brighter. Reborn would be a liar if he said the past nine years weren't the happiest of his entire life.

"Reborn? Are you even listening to me?"

The dark-haired man blinked as he shook himself out of his thoughts, staring down at Tsuna as the brunette waved a hand in front of his face. They had already arrived back to the Grimm Office, back to their workplace and home.

"Of course, brat. I see, hear, and know all."

Tsuna rolled his eyes and snorted. "Sure, whatever. Hurry up; I want to eat dinner early today."

Reborn blinked again. "Dinner. Right."

His lover's demonic intuition must've been sharper than Reborn had ever thought, because the brunette turned to him again and stood on tiptoe, pressing his lips lightly against Reborn's in a gentle, sweet manner.

"C'mon," Tsuna smiled, taking Reborn's hands. "Let's go home."

Home.

Reborn nodded, his throat tight for a moment, and Tsuna grinned, opening the door with his key and hurrying up the stairs, saying something about making pie afterwards with the apples he'd brought yesterday. Reborn watched him go, shaking his head and suppressing a snort when Tsuna tripped on his way up the stairs.

A breath of wind rustling down the alleyway made the sign creak on its rusty hinges, swinging over the entrance as it had always faithfully done so for years already. Reborn gazed out at the busy road from the quiet, calm backstreet, observing the city through the warm glow of an evening sun.

Then, he smiled and turned, following Tsuna back into the Grimm Office.

The door closed behind him with a quiet, conclusive snap.

* * *

><p><em>End<em>

* * *

><p>And here we are: the conclusion to the sequel. I'm so glad so many people enjoyed this fic; I hope you all liked reading it as much as I liked writing it! I've got other stories piled up to write about, so I guess it is goodbye to The Bureau of Unexpected Tales. Thank you very much for reading! I guess I'll see you guys where I see you again! xD<p>

NEVER SCARED. (1)

-BlackStar42Roses


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